Headed by the Prime Minister and consisting of 20 members from various government ministries, the Ukrainian Cabinet is Ukraine's highest executive governing organ, responsible for directing the country's foreign and domestic policies. The Ukrainian Cabinet is one of the most tenuous governments in Europe; the governing coalition has fallen apart three times during President Victor Yushchenko's term due to disagreements between the President and the Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, at times leaving Ukraine without a government. With presidential elections around the corner and political infighting at its peak, the Cabinet ministers must try their best to hold the government together and make concrete strides on issues of gas disputes, foreign relations, national unity, and the contracting economy, while at the same time ensuring that their preferred candidate wins the election and dealing with any national crises that may arise. Can the already strained Ukrainian government handle the escalation in tension between members which the election will inevitably bring, or will it collapse again at a time of crisis? How will the Cabinet balance relations with the West and with Russia?

Chair: Janine Balekdjian,