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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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AfricaSource

Jun 26, 2026

The ‘MCC Effect’ is real. The Trump administration must not overlook it.

By Richard K. Bell

Millennium Challenge Corporation and its scorecards-based model incentivizes countries to make reforms that are in the US interest, a former US ambassador argues.

Africa Economy & Business

UkraineAlert

Jun 25, 2026

Belarus is quietly preparing to play a larger role in Russia’s Ukraine war

By Hanna Liubakova

Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka is not enthusiastic about the prospect of joining Russia’s Ukraine invasion, but he appears to be steadily building up his country’s military capacity in case he finds himself pushed more directly into the war, writes Hanna Liubakova.

Belarus Conflict

UkraineAlert

Jun 25, 2026

The West can learn from Ukraine’s AI future vision beyond the battlefield

By Andrew D’Anieri

The US and Europe are already looking to Ukraine for the next generation of defense technologies. As Western countries debate their own AI strategies, they would likewise do well to examine Ukraine as a similar starting point for further innovation, writes Andrew D’Anieri.

Artificial Intelligence Conflict

AfricaSource

Jun 24, 2026

Governments are still underestimating the power of sports

By Rama Yade

Governments should harness the power of sports for their economic development strategies.

Africa Civil Society

Econographics

Jun 24, 2026

As democracies grow old, it becomes harder to adopt sound economic policies

By Martin Mühleisen

By slowing growth and tightening fiscal space, aging in democracies may contribute to an increase in political polarization.

Economy & Business Fiscal and Structural Reform

UkraineAlert

Jun 23, 2026

Putin vowed to demilitarize Ukraine. Instead, he created a major military power.

By Peter Dickinson

When Putin launched the full-scale invasion in 2022, he identified the “demilitarization” of Ukraine as one his two primary war aims. It is now clear that he has failed in the most spectacular fashion imaginable, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

Jun 23, 2026

Ukraine tightens drone blockade of Russian-occupied Crimea

By Maksym Beznosiuk, William Dixon

Ukraine is currently conducting a mid-range drone strike campaign aiming to cut access to Russian-occupied Crimea and place the Black Sea peninsula under a logistics lockdown, write Maksym Beznosiuk and William Dixon.

Conflict Defense Technologies

UkraineAlert

Jun 23, 2026

Russia intensifies shadow war to undermine support for Ukraine

By Zahar Hryniv

Russia is waging an escalating shadow war against the West as the Kremlin attempts to intimidate Europe and deter further support for Ukraine, writes Zahar Hryniv.

Conflict Cybersecurity

MENASource

Jun 23, 2026

The Middle East’s greatest killer is not what you think

By Daniel E. Zoughbie

Cardiovascular disease and similar ailments spread like communicable diseases. They need to be treated accordingly.

Economy & Business Middle East

TURKEYSource

Jun 22, 2026

Turkey has survived the energy crisis. It still needs a more deliberate economic strategy.

By Charles Lichfield

The recent Iran conflict has exposed the enduring vulnerabilities of Turkey's economic strategy.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia