Atlantic Council blogs

Only KGB Generals Stand between Putin and Absolute Power

By Anders Åslund

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin rules supreme. On September 18, his United Russia party won its largest-ever majority—enough to change the constitution—in the parliamentary elections. He seems to be running circles around the West in both Ukraine and Syria. Yet, Russia’s stability must not be overestimated. Last year, retail sales fell by 10 percent and this […]

Assad Wants to Rule Syria, but Economics Say Otherwise

By Mona Alami

Emboldened by his troops’ advances across Syria, President Bashar al-Assad declared in July 2016 that he could retake the whole of Syria in just a “few months” if other countries withdrew their support from rebel and jihadi factions. Despite Assad’s confident appraisal, the destruction of the country’s economy will prevent him from reuniting the country […]

TTIP&TRADE in Action – October 19, 2016

By Global Business & Economics Program

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström has had a busy week: talking about CETA in Luxembourg with the EU ministers for Foreign Affairs and Trade, making the case for TTIP in Brussels with the Board of theEurocommerce, and debating the benefits of TTIP at the Hungarian National Assembly.

Why Ukraine’s New Ultranationalist Party Will Not Last

By Alina Polyakova

On October 14, the Azov Battalion—Ukraine’s controversial ultranationalist paramilitary group that has been fighting in the Donbas as part of the National Guard—entered the political fray. Registered as a political party under the name National Corps, the new party proposes an ambitious military and nationalist agenda, including a re-nationalization of Ukraine’s private sector and nuclear […]

Alaska’s Microgrid Experience Applied Across Borders

By Penny Gage

There is a stark divide between rural and urban Alaska, with 41 percent of the state’s residents residing in the city of Anchorage. Most communities are located off the road system, accessible only by airplane or boat. Supplying reliable, secure, and affordable energy is a challenge. Remote electricity systems, and even large cities concerned about […]

Ukraine’s Invisible Refugees

By Diane Francis

Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan are not the world’s only major “refugee” hosting nations. Ukraine too hosts enormous numbers of people who have had to leave their homes because of war. Millions fled their homes in 2014 after Russian operatives and tanks invaded Ukraine’s eastern regions and annexed Crimea. But they are not labeled “refugees.” Instead, […]

Russia Has Never Been Serious about Lifting the Siege on Aleppo, So Why the Temporary Ceasefire Now?

By Haid Haid

On October 17, 2016, Russia’s defense minister announced that Russian and Syrian forces would be halting hostilities for eight hours in the eastern districts of Aleppo on October 20 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. This brief cease-fire will supposedly allow for the free passage of civilians, evacuation of the sick and wounded, and withdrawal […]

As Arctic Council Chair, United States Will Stay the Course on Climate Change

Despite the opposing positions on climate change adopted by Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, a senior US official has expressed confidence that the United States’ efforts to curb the effects of global warming over the course of its chairmanship of the Arctic Council will transcend the political transition in Washington. Regardless of the outcome of […]

Securing the Internet of Things

As a consequence of our dependence on gadgets that are increasingly interconnected, securing these devices has become a “homeland security issue,” a senior US official said at the Atlantic Council on October 14, while exhorting industry and civil society leaders to address potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The system of interrelating, connected computing devices with the ability […]