The Sunday Show: Ukraine's Conflict "Grey Zone," MPs Vote, NATO in the East, CPJ On Journalism

This Week On Sunday Show:

✅ Ukrainian Parliament's Whirlwind Last Day

The final day for the Ukrainian Parliament before the MPs go on holidays was wild: people were protesting outside, tensions were boiling inside. Not only that, the deputies largely failed to pass reforms. The biggest struggle erupted over stripping six MPs of their parliamentary immunity. How did PM Volodymyr Groysman behave in such a tense situation? What happened with a restrictive draft law on media? To clarify what went on, Hromadske speaks with Ukrainian MP Alex Ryabchyn.

Featuring guest:

Alex Ryabchyn, Ukrainian MP, Batkivshchyna party

✅ Ukraine's Law On "De-occupying" Donbas

Another major story discussed in the Ukrainian Parliament was the Draft Law on De-occupying the Donbas. Hromadske broke the story down after finally receiving a copy of the document and publishing it. Earlier, we presented the concept law. Parliament will consider the document in the autumn. For more details, watch our show.

✅ Trapped In Eastern Ukraine's "Grey Zone"

The "Grey Zone" is an area trapped in limbo at the center of Kyiv's war with Russia. People from both sides face a serious problem: the Ukrainian military has closed several of the villages, making it nearly impossible to enter or exit. The Ukrainian authorities consider these villages too damaged for habitation. But that means residents of the "Gray Zone" — both current and former—struggle to visit relatives, check on their old homes, attend school and seek medical attention beyond the demarcation line.

Hromadske visited some of the frontline settlements in the Donetsk region to see how some of the most isolated victims of the conflict are coping.

✅ Ukraine's NATO Prospects

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Ukraine this week. In Kyiv, he spoke before the Ukrainian parliament, where MPs are urging NATO to increase its support for Ukraine and speed the creation of a membership action plan for the country. What Ukraine prospects vis–à–vis NATO? What remains to be done? How does the West evaluate the reforms in Ukraine? We sat down with Secretary General Stoltenberg to learn more about what the future holds for Ukraine's relations with NATO.

Featuring guest:

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General

✅ Disappointed Associates: The 19th EU-Ukraine Summit

The 19th EU-Ukraine Summit took place on July 13, with officials like European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker visiting Kyiv to discuss the future of Ukraine’s bilateral relations with the European Union. President Petro Poroshenko also shared Ukraine’s plans for deepening integration. Ukraine recently reached a visa-free regime with the European Union, and since then many have been wondering what will come next. Watch Hromadske’s report on the events.

✅ Investigating the Investigation: CPJ on Sheremet Killing

The Committee to Project Journalists (CPJ) has released a special report on the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet. The report raises serious questions about the efficacy of Ukrainian law enforcment's investigation. We spoke to Alan Rusbridger, a member of CPJ's Board of Directors and the former editor-in-chief of Britain's The Guardian, to learn more about CPJ's findings.

Featuring guest:

Alan Rusbridger, a member of CPJ's Board of Directors and the former editor—in—chief of The Guardian

✅ Global Journalism At A Crossroads

For 20 years, Alan Rusbridger ran one of the most important British papers, The Guardian. Under his leadership, the paper ran the WikiLeaks story and Edward Snowden's revelation about the U.S. National Security Agency surveillance program. Later, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assanges, who initially appeared to be a fighter for free information, showed his political preferences and strongly criticized Hillary Clinton, while Snowden ended up in Russia. We spoke to Alan Rusbridger about how he feels about this coverage today, and also discussed fake news, financial difficulties and political pressure, which are all rapidly changing today's media environment.

Featuring guest:

Alan Rusbridger, a member of CPJ's Board of Directors and the former editor—in—chief of The Guardian