Shopping street in central Kyiv(Kiev), Ukraine. © Martin Roemers (Panos)
In 1922, Ukraine was one of the founding republics of the Soviet Union, but almost 70 years later, with the USSR’s collapse, it became independent again. During its transition to a market economy, it suffered an eight-year recession. But since then, it has seen real growth – so much so that DFID, which had an office in Kiev for 17 years, felt able to leave. But the UK will continue to support Ukraine through aid distributed by other organisations and the European Commission.