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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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UkraineAlert

Aug 11, 2026

Western weakness is encouraging Putin to test NATO

By Peter Dickinson

As Moscow's hybrid war against NATO continues to escalate, the alliance's reluctance to impose any additional costs on the Kremlin will only only embolden Putin and fuel Russian perceptions of Western weakness, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Drones

MENASource

Aug 11, 2026

Israel cannot afford to miss the IMEC moment

By Samantha Sutton

For the next Israeli government, the economic gains of investing in the corridor are worth the political costs.

Israel Middle East

TURKEYSource

Aug 11, 2026

Turkey wants a bigger role in NATO. Its defense industry will be key.

By Alp Ozen

With the NATO Summit in Ankara behind it, Turkey’s defense sector now faces the challenge of turning political momentum into action—from defense-industrial cooperation to diplomatic initiatives and NATO capability development.

Defense Industry Defense Technologies

AfricaSource

Aug 10, 2026

How to push back against Mali’s propagandists? Help factual creators go viral.

By Tom Bonsundy-O’Bryan

Mali’s information space is now dominated by livestreaming “videomen” pushing misinformation. The West needs to respond by funding fact-based creators.

Africa Disinformation

Econographics

Aug 10, 2026

When a few stocks become the market

By Bart Piasecki

Stock market concentration is rising as a small group of companies increasingly drives major indexes. South Korea’s KOSPI shows how quickly strong returns can become a market vulnerability.

Economy & Business

MENASource

Aug 8, 2026

The GCC’s wartime borrowing machine is helping counter the Iran war

By Eric Fine

An experienced investor in emerging market debt answers seven burning questions about GCC debt and borrowing.

Economy & Business Macroeconomics

UkraineAlert

Aug 6, 2026

Ukraine cannot defeat Putin’s ballistic blitz by defensive measures alone

By Mykola Bielieskov

Putin is ramping up Russian ballistic missile production and clearly intends to bomb Ukraine into submission. If he is not stopped, the Ukrainian civilian population will pay a terrible price and Kyiv may be pushed toward capitulation, writes Mykola Bielieskov.

Defense Technologies European Union

UkraineAlert

Aug 6, 2026

We should not fear a post-Putin Russia

By Brian Mefford

Some believe a post-Putin Russia could become even more aggressive toward the West. However, past experience and current practicalities suggest that the next Russian ruler may be forced to seek a less hostile path, writes Brian Mefford.

Conflict European Union

Econographics

Aug 6, 2026

A visual guide to the new US tariff wall

By Madeline Chalecki

The Trump administration’s new tariff regime is a complex patchwork of duties, exemptions, and trade deals. Here’s how it is reshaping US trade—in eight charts.

Economy & Business Trade and tariffs

UkraineAlert

Aug 4, 2026

Winter is coming: Ukraine warns of escalating Russian ballistic strikes

By Maksym Beznosiuk, Will Dixon

Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal has warned that Moscow will expand attacks on the country’s civilian population and critical infrastructure in the coming months as Putin seeks to finally break Ukraine’s resistance, write Maksym Beznosiuk and Will Dixon.

Conflict Defense Technologies