It's December in Kyiv and after midnight.  Before going to bed I log on once last time to the BBC's news web-site.  Hooray!  The formation of the new government in Ukraine has made the front page!  This is great, because it shows that the world is paying attention to what happens here, and because the formation of a new government is intrinsically good news after several months of confusion.  But my first thought is: what shall we tell London?

A British embassy does many things.  It can help promote trade and investment; help build bilateral relations; issue visas; and help its nationals in difficulty.  We also help the government in London to understand what is happening in the country to which we're accredited; and advise on what the UK should do about it.  This is, of course, harder in some countries than in others.  

For most British embassies, the balance between telling London what's happening and explaining why it matters has shifted over the years.  There are still some countries where foreign correspondents are few and far between; or where political processes are particularly opaque.  But in a country like Ukraine, a broad range of accurate information about what's going on from Uzhhorod to Kerch via Kyiv and all places in-between is available to anyone in London with a computer terminal.

That makes analysing the news an increasingly important part of what the embassy does.  The first stage is to talk to contacts: politicians, analysts, business people and anyone else with a view on what's going on.  Sometimes someone with no connection to the political establishment may have an invaluable insight.  In fact, every time you talk to a foreign diplomat, you're helping form their views about Ukraine.  The second stage is for that diplomat to form a view on what it all means.  It's one thing hearing what other people think.  But eventually, the diplomat has to make his or her own mind up.  This is where trusted embassy colleagues, with long experience, good contacts and a history of being right, are valuable to an ambassador.  I have many colleagues in the British embassy in Kyiv whose judgement I know I can trust.  They're worth their weight in gold.  

The morning after the new government is formed, I check the BBC site again to see how the story has developed overnight, and look at a couple of Ukrainian web-sites to get their take on the story.  I also listen to the radio, and check out the 8 a.m. TV news.  When I get to the embassy at 8.30 I find the head of the political section, Duncan Allan, is already there.

'Hey, Duncan,' I say.  'I see there's a new government.  We should talk to a few people and let London know what it all means.'

Duncan nods wisely.  'Yeah,' he said.  'We should.  In fact, it's so important that I already talked to a couple of commentators yesterday.  I sent a report last night.'