New Atlanticist

Sharp insights and bold ideas from across the Council

From climate change to the China challenge and the contest between democracy and dictatorship, the New Atlanticist is where top experts and policymakers at the Atlantic Council and beyond offer exclusive insight on the most pressing global challenges—and the US role in addressing them alongside allies and partners.

The Council’s flagship section features big ideas, groundbreaking research, lightning-fast expert reactions, in-depth analyses, and thought-provoking commentary to shape public policy.

How the US and EU can counter digital threats together

New Atlanticist Sep 4, 2025

Dispatches from Damascus: The state of Syria’s postwar transition nine months after Assad’s fall

On a recent trip to the Syrian capital, Atlantic Council experts took note of how far the country has come since the Assad regime’s fall and what still needs to happen to secure peace and prosperity.

New Atlanticist Aug 29, 2025

Twenty questions (and expert answers) about the negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine

By Atlantic Council experts

August saw a flurry of diplomatic activity to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As September nears, Atlantic Council experts share their insights on what to expect next.

Conflict Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

New Atlanticist Aug 28, 2025

Germany wants to double its defense spending. Where should the money go?

By Atlantic Council experts

After decades of Berlin underinvesting in its defense, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has plans to transform the Bundeswehr into Europe’s strongest military.

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

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Experts React

Dive deep into developing stories, guided by continually updated expert analysis that leaves you better informed about the most pressing global issues behind the headlines.

Markup

Our experts decipher and annotate major speeches and policy documents to break down big ideas and lay them out in plain language.

Seizing the advantage

May 3, 2021

How the US and EU can counter digital threats together

By Harry I. Hannah

Russian and Chinese threats all seek to exploit gaps in Western cyber defenses and digital and information governance. To close these gaps as a part of its defense strategy, the United States should develop a strong collaborative relationship with the European Union in the digital and information sphere.

Cybersecurity
Defense Industry

New Atlanticist

Apr 30, 2021

Raising ambitions: How Latin America and the Caribbean is tackling the climate crisis

By Valentina Sader

The Americas are a crucial player in coordinated efforts to tackle global climate change, so we asked experts from the Atlantic Council and elsewhere to lay out what’s next.

Brazil
Caribbean

New Atlanticist

Apr 29, 2021

Can the US win the AI race with China?

By Daniel Malloy

The United States is late in joining an “existential” struggle with China for supremacy in artificial intelligence, but leaders from the White House, Congress, and the Pentagon are finally stepping up, say former US deputy secretary of defense Robert O. Work and Oracle CEO Safra Catz.

China
Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Apr 29, 2021

Computing to win: Addressing the policy blind spot that threatens national AI ambitions

By Saurabh Mishra and Keith Strier

Policymakers must make specialized hardware and software a core component of their strategic planning in order to fully realize the economic windfall of AI.

China
Digital Policy

New Atlanticist

Apr 29, 2021

Adding an Ishmael Track to the Abraham Accords: How to pursue détente between Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE

By Kirsten Fontenrose

Most Middle East observers thought that they would never see normalization between Arabs and Israelis in their lifetimes. Now that we have seen this step taken—this chasm jumped—there is no reason not to envision Arab-Iranian normalization if the regimes prioritize long-term national interests like their economies, their self-sufficiency, and the future well-being of their publics. This roadmap is theirs for the taking.

Iran
Politics & Diplomacy

Fast Thinking

Apr 29, 2021

FAST THINKING: Biden’s challenge to China and Congress

By Atlantic Council

President Joe Biden described an array of challenges at home and abroad during a speech to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday to mark one hundred whirlwind days in office. To a socially distanced hall of masked dignitaries, Biden staked out ambitious domestic plans and placed them in the frame of broader competition with China to “win the 21st century.”

Climate Change & Climate Action
Coronavirus

New Atlanticist

Apr 28, 2021

Serbian president pursues EU membership, better US ties, and a bigger role in the Balkans

By Larry Luxner

Speaking with the Atlantic Council, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić talked about Serbia's vaccine diplomacy, economic performance, relations with Kosovo, and more.

Coronavirus
Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Apr 25, 2021

Climate diplomacy can help turn action into results: UAE minister

By Larry Luxner

Al Jaber, the United Arab Emirates’ minister of industry and advanced technology, reflected on the connection between climate partnerships and economic results.

Climate Change & Climate Action
Energy & Environment

New Atlanticist

Apr 23, 2021

Hope amid a ‘window of uncertainty’ for Afghanistan

By Larry Luxner

“The Taliban have a choice to make at this time; they can, in fact, be pragmatic or they can be permanent pariahs,” former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said at the launch of the "Transatlantic charter on Afghan sovereignty, security, and development."

Afghanistan
Conflict

Fast Thinking

Apr 23, 2021

FAST THINKING: Why India’s proposed crypto ban could hurt innovation

By Nitya Biyani, Nikhil Raghuveera

As digital currency grows in popularity and blockchain technology grows in influence, governments are facing the challenge of governing the unregulated market while establishing their own regulated alternatives.

Digital Currencies
India

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