Atlantic Council blogs

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.
View all
of our blogs
Subscribe to our
newsletters

Latest from across our blogs

EconoGraphics

Oct 22, 2021

Global Sanctions Dashboard: Halloween edition

By Julia Friedlander, Michael Albanese and Castellum.AI

US’s evolving approach to cryptocurrencies, Pandora Papers; sanctions against Iran, Myanmar, and Russian authorities in Crimea.

Belarus China

New Atlanticist

Oct 22, 2021

Colin Powell’s glorious American journey

By Harlan Ullman

As a gentleman, Powell treated all people with great respect—no matter their rank or status.

Politics & Diplomacy Security & Defense

IranSource

Oct 22, 2021

The Hazara community in Afghanistan is stuck in the middle between Iran and the Taliban

By Saumaun Heiat

With the Taliban having come to their second iteration of power and the announcement of a newly-formed government in Afghanistan in recent weeks, several stakeholders will see a shift in their relationships, namely Iran and Afghanistan’s ethnic Hazara minority

Afghanistan Iran

UkraineAlert

Oct 21, 2021

Ukraine’s classical music superstar Oksana Lyniv makes history again

By Peter Dickinson

Ukraine's superstar classical music conductor Oksana Lyniv made history yet again in October 2021 when she was named as the first ever female musical director of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna in Italy.

Resilience & Society Ukraine

Interview

Oct 21, 2021

Interview with Barna Karimi, former Ambassador of Afghanistan to Canada

By Fariba Pajooh

Barna Karimi, former Ambassador of Afghanistan to Canada, joins Fariba Pajooh for an interview to discuss the fall of Kabul, the former Afghan government, the Afghan National Security and Defense Forces, and more.

Afghanistan Corruption

SouthAsiaSource

Oct 21, 2021

Coping and surviving: Insights about today’s Afghanistan

By Omar Samad

Ambassador Omar Samad speaks with four Afghans, two of whom are still in Afghanistan, to discuss events leading to the fall of Kabul, the transition that is underway, and how each speaker is coping with new realities as Afghans facing grave humanitarian challenges are now in survival mode. 

Afghanistan Civil Society

UkraineAlert

Oct 21, 2021

Now is the moment to transform Ukraine

By Kristina Kvien, Matti Maasikas, Melinda Simmons

Ukraine is on the verge of achieving a breakthrough towards judicial reform and transforming the rule of law situation in the country but President Zelenskyy must demonstrate the political will to overcome opposition.

Corruption Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Oct 21, 2021

Ukraine strengthens independence of key anti-corruption agency

By Anastasia Radina

Ukrainian MPs adopted a landmark law on October 19 that will safeguard the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), the key agency in the country’s struggle against corruption.

Corruption Democratic Transitions

MENASource

Oct 21, 2021

A return to a constitutional monarchy may solve Libya’s problems

By Mustafa El Sagezli

When it comes to choosing their next chapter, some Libyans have already identified a promising path forward: restoring the 1951 constitution, which called for a representative, technocratic government with a hereditary monarch.

Libya Middle East

New Atlanticist

Oct 20, 2021

US leaders laid down solid and sensible sanctions policy. Now they need to follow through.

By Daniel Fried, Brian O’Toole

The review is smart in addressing the true root causes of sanctions misuse without indulging in clichés such as that sanctions are overused or never work.

Economy & Business Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion