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Atlantic Council blogs provide short-form analyses from Council experts and a wider community of global voices on the world’s most important news stories.
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EnergySource

Jul 8, 2026

The US paper fleet: The Jones Act and the 2026 Iran war stress test

By Morgan D. Bazilian, Jahara Matisek, Alex Gilbert, and Jamie Webster

The Hormuz crisis demonstrates that the Jones Act is no longer fit for purpose. It's time to update US maritime policy starting with the elimination of the domestic build rule.

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance

Econographics

Jul 7, 2026

A weak yen spells trouble for Japan—at home and abroad

By Hung Tran

Japan’s weak yen is not a market anomaly. Structural capital outflows, shifting investment patterns, and dollar strength are keeping pressure on the currency—and creating potential new tensions with Washington.

Economy & Business Japan

UkraineAlert

Jul 7, 2026

Putin escalates ballistic missile attacks as Patriot shortages leave Ukraine defenseless

By Karlis Kuskevics

Ballistic missiles are accounting for a growing share of Russia’s increasingly deadly attacks on Ukrainian cities, as Moscow unleashes a new bombing strategy seeking to exploit a global shortage of US-made Patriot air defense systems, writes Karlis Kuskevics.

Conflict Defense Technologies

MENASource

Jul 6, 2026

New Middle East corridors are about more than just bypassing the Strait of Hormuz

By Allison Minor

A recent Atlantic Council gathering reveals how initiatives like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) must evolve.

Economy & Business Infrastructure

UkraineAlert

Jul 6, 2026

A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine

By Oleksandr Tolokonnikov

A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine, with thousands of Ukrainian civilians facing severe risks to their lives, food shortages, and a lack of medical assistance, according to a new UN report.

Conflict Drones

UkraineAlert

Jul 5, 2026

With Putin visibly weakened, now is the time to back Ukraine

By Kira Rudik

Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently in a weaker position than at any time since Ukraine's battlefield victories in 2022. Kyiv's Western allies must seize this window of opportunity to push for peace through strength, writes Kira Rudik.

Conflict European Union

UkraineAlert

Jul 4, 2026

Putin may gamble on mobilization to rescue Russia’s Ukraine invasion

By Mykola Bielieskov

With the tide turning in Ukraine's favor on the battlefield and Russian manpower problems mounting, Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin may soon be forced to gamble on a politically risky mass mobilization in order to rescue his invasion, writes Mykola Bielieskov.

Conflict Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

Jul 4, 2026

Ukraine is showing NATO the future of warfare

By Myroslava Gongadze

Over five years, Ukraine has done more than expose Russia's weaknesses. It has revealed the future of warfare. NATO leaders must now demonstrate at the Ankara Summit that they are ready for the new security environment, writes Myroslava Gongadze.

Conflict Defense Technologies

UkraineAlert

Jul 2, 2026

The West can learn from Ukraine’s success against Russian propaganda

By Ryan Prior

While Ukraine often garners headlines for its drone warfare innovation, the country is also producing a playbook for countering Russian propaganda. This Ukrainian experience offers important lessons for the wider Western world, writes Ryan Prior.

Conflict Defense Policy

EnergySource

Jul 2, 2026

With US sanctions temporarily lifted, is Iranian crude back on the menu?

By Lize de Kruijf, Chloe O’Connor

The US-Iran deal waives sanctions on Iranian oil sales, but Washington will need further steps to meaningfully shift global crude trade and ensure clearer visibility into Iranian oil transactions.

Dollar Dominance Energy & Environment