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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

Dec 21, 2016

Why I’m Optimistic about Ukraine’s Reforms in 2017

By Oksana Bedratenko

Following decades of neglect, there is real progress in Ukraine’s healthcare sector. Thanks to the efforts of reformers in the Ministry of Health, pressure from civil society, and the support of international donors, the sector is seeing reduced corruption and clear prospects for reform. The healthcare sector had been a magnet for large-scale corruption for […]

Ukraine

New Atlanticist

Dec 20, 2016

German Authorities Tread Carefully After Berlin Attack

By Rachel Ansley

ISIS claims responsibility; official response ‘measured’  German authorities have been “careful not to jump to conclusions” following a December 19 attack on a Christmas market in Berlin despite the fact that the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) has claimed responsibility, said Jasmine El-Gamal, a senior fellow with the Brent Scowcroft Center on International […]

AfricaSource

Dec 20, 2016

Joseph Kabila Has Passed His Expiration Date

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The United States must work to avoid another ‘world war’ in Africa, says Atlantic Council’s J. Peter Pham The United States must ratchet up pressure on Congolese President Joseph Kabila in an attempt to convince him to leave office; a failure to do so would risk dragging the country and its neighbors into a costly […]

Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo

New Atlanticist

Dec 20, 2016

Joseph Kabila Has Passed His Expiration Date

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The United States must work to avoid another ‘world war’ in Africa, says the Atlantic Council’s J. Peter Pham The United States must ratchet up pressure on Congolese President Joseph Kabila in an attempt to convince him to leave office; a failure to do so would risk dragging the country and its neighbors into a […]

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Commanders Series

Dec 20, 2016

A Call for the Transatlantic Community to Stand Up to Russia

Deborah Lee James, secretary of the US Air Force, said the transatlantic community is facing significant challenges In light of numerous instances of Russian aggression around the world, the transatlantic security community must stand together in a coordinated show of force so as to deter Russian revanchism, Deborah Lee James, secretary of the US Air […]

Russia

UkraineAlert

Dec 20, 2016

How the West Can Beat Back the Kremlin

By Jakub Janda

The Kremlin and its allies have started to harvest the fruits of the seeds they have been planting for years. Moscow occupies territories of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine; actively wages war on another part of Ukrainian soil; and is now playing a game of political subversion in several Western states. In the past few years, […]

Cybersecurity France

SyriaSource

Dec 20, 2016

Syria ‘On the Cheap’

By Frederic C. Hof

The five-plus year failure of the United States to protect a single Syrian from the relentless mass homicide campaign of a rogue Syrian government will help to define the impact and the values of the Obama administration for as long as historians parse the humanitarian abomination that is Syria. It is a failure that facilitated, […]

Syria

UkraineAlert

Dec 20, 2016

Russia’s War on the West Is Real. Why Aren’t We Fighting Back?

By Stephen Blank

Russia’s systematic attack on America’s political system dominates the headlines. Nobody besides President-elect Donald Trump denies that Russia attacked the US political system and electoral institutions. Moreover, Russia did so with impunity and, according to the Central Intelligence Agency and the White House, it did so under Russian President Vladimir Putin’s direct guidance to discredit […]

Cybersecurity Elections

New Atlanticist

Dec 19, 2016

Turkey-Russia Relationship Will Survive Russian Ambassador’s Assassination

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey on December 19, while a tragic incident, is unlikely to have a significant impact on the diplomatic relationship between Moscow and Ankara that has been forged over priorities in Syria, according to two Atlantic Council analysts. “This incident, in theory, could be a pretext for the Russians […]

Syria Turkey

UkraineAlert

Dec 19, 2016

Just Outsource It: How to Rebuild Eastern Ukraine

By Josh Cohen

While Russia’s hybrid war in the Donbas drags on, Ukraine is turning its attention to improving the lives of the region’s people. A key part of this effort is rebuilding the infrastructure in those areas that remain under Kyiv’s control. Kyiv has allocated $150 million to begin rebuilding schools and hospitals, but this is a […]

Russia Ukraine