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 next National Defense Strategy can get serious about emerging technologies

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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When major global news breaks, the Atlantic Council’s experts have you covered—delivering their sharpest rapid insight and forward-looking analysis direct to your inbox.

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.

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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

Feb 19, 2021

How the next National Defense Strategy can get serious about emerging technologies

By Justin Sherman, Evanna Hu

US adversaries including China, Iran, and Russia are investing in additional technological capabilities to counterbalance the United States’ advantages in great-power competition—specifically its dominance in kinetic operations and weapons. The next NDS must differentiate among different technologies to create more nuanced strategies.

Defense Industry Defense Policy

New Atlanticist

Feb 19, 2021

Colombia is pioneering a new model for integrating migrants and refugees. Will it work?

By Camila Hernandez

Colombian President Iván Duque announced that he will grant temporary protection status to Venezuelan migrants and refugees in Colombia. It is a herculean task, and the country will encounter two major challenges.

Colombia Latin America

New Atlanticist

Feb 19, 2021

How Janet Yellen can help deliver the digital dollar

By Josh Lipsky, JP Schnapper-Casteras

What precisely will the US Treasury Department do about the rise of digital currencies? Secretary Yellen and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell should quickly harness the potential of these evolving financial tools, including a US-backed digital dollar.

Digital Currencies Digital Policy

New Atlanticist

Feb 19, 2021

Recovering from COVID-19: Can India’s 2021 Union Budget rise to the challenge?

By South Asia Center

The Indian government recently announced a new budget aimed at providing a major boost to healthcare and infrastructure development. Here's how Atlantic Council experts are assessing the budget.

Economy & Business India

New Atlanticist

Feb 19, 2021

US-Greece relations in the Biden era: Why the road to rebuilding the transatlantic alliance runs through Athens

By George Pagoulatos and Katerina Sokou

The United States should deepen its strategic engagement with Greece to jointly address challenges posed by competition among global and regional powers.

Energy & Environment European Union

New Atlanticist

Feb 16, 2021

This economic crisis is also a crisis for democracy

By Amanda Dickerson

The COVID-19 pandemic is inflicting economic damage across the world. And that damage may be having an insidious knock-on effect: eroding faith in democracy, especially among young people.

Economy & Business Inclusive Growth

New Atlanticist

Feb 12, 2021

How the US should respond to the coup in Myanmar

By Andrea R. Mihailescu

The Biden administration’s announcement that it will freeze one billion dollars of Myanmar government funds held in US banks will squeeze military leaders. But sanctions cannot be the only tool that the United States deploys.

Elections Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

New Atlanticist

Feb 12, 2021

The rebirth of the State Department’s Office of Sanctions Coordination: Guidelines for success

By Daniel Fried, Edward Fishman

While sanctions are increasingly a tool of first resort in US foreign policy, the State Department has lacked a disciplined process for coordinating sanctions policy. But the new Office of Sanctions Coordination is an opportunity to fix this problem.

Economy & Business Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

New Atlanticist

Feb 12, 2021

Reboot or repeat? US-Pakistan relations after the Daniel Pearl ruling

By Safiya Ghori-Ahmad

Pakistan was likely hoping for a reset with the new Biden administration, one that could refocus relations on the country’s most pressing issues. But those hopes have been dashed by The Supreme Court of Pakistan's recent decision on the Daniel Pearl case.

International Norms Media

New Atlanticist

Feb 11, 2021

The 5×5—Looking ahead for the Biden administration after a busy year in cybersecurity

By Simon Handler

It’s been a wild twelve months in the world of cybersecurity since the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative launched the 5×5 series. In celebration of the series' one-year anniversary, experts plotted the year ahead.

Cybersecurity Technology & Innovation

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