Atlantic Council blogs

Meloni, Trump, and a test of transatlantic resolve

By Nicholas O’Connell, Jacopo Pastorelli

The Italian prime minister has a unique opportunity to serve as a conduit between a strained European Union and a transactional US administration.

US funding cuts create openings for Russian disinformation in Ukraine

By Muhammad Tahir

Drastic recent cuts to US funding for Ukraine’s independent media will create unprecedented opportunities for Russian disinformation, writes Muhammad Tahir.

Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian civilians cast shadow over peace talks

By Mercedes Sapuppo

Russia’s Palm Sunday ballistic missile strike on Sumy was the latest in a series of attacks on Ukrainian cities that have killed dozens of civilians and cast a long shadow over Donald Trump’s efforts to initiate peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv, writes Mercedes Sapuppo.

Central Asia’s geography inhibits a US critical minerals partnership

By Haley Nelson and Natalia Storz

Central Asia holds vast critical mineral resources, but limited export capacity and complex environmental, geopolitical, and legal risks make large-scale US investment unfeasible. The US should instead focus its efforts on allied nations with established mineral export industries.

Weakened by Israel, Hezbollah turns to spin games to hold support

By David Daoud

Hezbollah’s more cautious posturing on Israel in recent weeks demonstrates the militant group knows it’s in no condition to fight.

What Noboa’s reelection means for US-Ecuador ties

By Isabel Chiriboga

Ecuador desperately needs international cooperation with partners such as the United States to curb the country’s crime wave and spur economic growth.

There are signs that Turkey is growing closer to Indonesia—and to ASEAN

By Adinda Khaerani Epstein

The Indonesian president’s latest visit to Turkey is only one sign that relations between the two countries are strong—and growing.

The Iran nuclear talks are Trump’s decisive moment on military strikes

By Daniel B. Shapiro

Within a relatively short time, Donald Trump is likely to face the decision point on whether or not to pursue a military strike against Iran.

Want to understand the US-China trade war? Start with soybeans and batteries.

As Washington and Beijing hit each other with new tariffs, two goods—soybeans and lithium-ion storage batteries—offer a window into the larger trade war.

Cradle of violence: How criminal networks are winning Ecuador’s youth and threatening Latin America’s future

By Erin K. McFee

As Ecuadorians vote for their next president on April 13, time is running out for a holistic approach to security that balances suppression with structural transformation.