Political and economic decentralization is the immediate systemic change needed for Ukraine to become a stable and healthy democracy. Democratic regional decentralization would have three important and distinct benefits for Ukraine's nascent democratic institutions.

1. It would be an effective guarantee that important local economic and social decisions are made by the people most affected by these decisions, rather than being dictated by whichever party comes to power in Kiev.

2. It would reduce the stakes in the conflict in national politics and help focus attention not on whether one region will impose its will on another, but on the urgent economic and political problems facing Ukraine.

3. A vibrant local democracy would do much to strengthen Ukraine's national political institutions and provide a forum where new local politicians can prove themselves, gain the trust of the people and get executive experience.

The lecture will discuss the advantages and the costs of decentralization in Ukraine, the challenges with implementing it politically, and will delineate the difference between decentralization and federalization proposed by Russia.