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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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BelarusAlert

Apr 21, 2021

Bizarre Belarus “coup plot” has all the hallmarks of a classic Kremlin drama

By Brian Whitmore

Belarus ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka's recent claim that he was the target of a US-backed coup may be more than just the latest in a series of conspiratorial rants by the increasingly beleaguered dictator.

Belarus Democratic Transitions

New Atlanticist

Apr 21, 2021

Is the US-China strategic competition a cold war?

By Hung Tran

There has been a renewed debate on whether the heightened tension between China and the United States should be called a new cold war.

China Economy & Business

IranSource

Apr 21, 2021

More questions than answers about Iran’s nuclear intentions

By Frederic C. Hof

If negotiations aimed at reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear talks fail and economic sanctions on Iran remain in place, would Tehran seek to field nuclear weapons?

Iran Middle East

MENASource

Apr 21, 2021

Russia in the Middle East: A source of stability or a pot-stirrer?

By Anna Borshchevskaya, Raed Wajeeh, Daniel Rakov, and Li-Chen Sim

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s Gulf tour in March exemplifies the complexity of Russian foreign policy in the region.

Israel Middle East

Econographics

Apr 20, 2021

The Rise of Central Bank Digital Currencies

By GeoEconomics Center

What exactly is a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) and how does the research compare globally?

Digital Currencies Digital Policy

Fast Thinking

Apr 20, 2021

FAST THINKING: After the death of its president, Chad is on the brink

By Atlantic Council

After three decades in power, Chadian President Idriss Déby was killed following clashes with insurgents, state media announced Tuesday. What’s next for the country after the fall of its long-ruling autocrat?

Africa Crisis Management

New Atlanticist

Apr 20, 2021

The new challenge for NATO: Securing a climate-changed world

By Ahmet Uzumcu, Tacan Ildem, and Fatih Ceylan

Allied countries are becoming increasingly aware of the nexus between climate change and security. But there is so much more work to be done in this field—and NATO should set an example in achieving it.

Climate Change & Climate Action NATO

UkraineAlert

Apr 20, 2021

Ukraine’s nation-building journey and the legacy of the Euromaidan Revolution

By Sofiya Kominko

Ukrainian MPs recently passed a resolution recognizing the country's 2013-14 Euromaidan Revolution as a "key moment" in Ukraine's nation-building process, but the final verdict of history is still to come.

Civil Society Democratic Transitions

IranSource

Apr 20, 2021

Who is afraid of Iran’s Faezeh Hashemi?

By Arash Azizi

Faezeh Hashemi could make a terrific presidential candidate for the Iran of 2021. All the more reason why Ayatollah Khamenei and the authorities will not let her anywhere near power.

Iran Middle East

UkraineAlert

Apr 20, 2021

Putin’s Ukraine War: Can the West prevent a new Russian offensive?

By Peter Dickinson

The West has responded to a major Russian military build-up on the Ukrainian border by voicing its support for Ukraine, but critics say the international community must do more to deter Vladimir Putin from a new offensive.

Conflict Russia