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.

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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Fast Thinking

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.

Fast Thinking

Nov 23, 2020

FAST THINKING: It’s Yellen for Treasury

By Atlantic Council

Janet Yellen could face an economy devastated by the coronavirus and the haphazard response to it in Washington. Josh Lipsky provides insight into how she might manage a difficult recovery.

Elections
Financial Regulation

New Atlanticist

Nov 23, 2020

Building bridges across the Three Seas

By Piotr Trabinski, Daniel Palotai, Liviu Voinea, Tsvetan Manchev, and Nils Vaikla

The CESEE countries would be justified by gradually moving away from indiscriminate policy support to better targeted strategic policy resource allocation and growth-enhancing infrastructure projects.

Central Europe
Eastern Europe

Fast Thinking

Nov 23, 2020

FAST THINKING: How Tony Blinken sees America

By Atlantic Council

Joe Biden is reportedly about to make his first major foreign-policy move by announcing that he’ll nominate Tony Blinken, his longtime advisor and a veteran of the Clinton and Obama administrations, as secretary of state. To answer the big questions about who Blinken is and how he might serve in the role, we turned to Dan Fried, a former US ambassador who spent forty years in the foreign service and has known Blinken for decades.

Elections
Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Nov 23, 2020

Why foreign election interference fizzled in 2020

By Scott Jasper

The lessons of 2016 seem to have been heeded by those looking to protect us from disinformation from abroad, but the real threat in 2020 came from misinformation within the United States.

Disinformation

Fast Thinking

Nov 20, 2020

Can Joe Biden really revive the Iran nuclear deal?

By Barbara Slavin, Matthew Kroenig

Is the JCPOA DOA? On this episode of Fast Thinking, Barbara Slavin and Matthew Kroenig share their thoughts on whether the Biden administration will try to revive the controversial 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. But will Tehran even play ball? Barbara and Matt agree that there is a future for the deal, and with continued […]

Fast Thinking

Nov 20, 2020

FAST THINKING: Get up to speed on the crisis in Ethiopia

By Atlantic Council

A fast-developing crisis in Ethiopia has the crucial US ally edging closer to all-out war, just two years after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office promising democratic reforms and a year after he won the Nobel Peace Prize. So what happened? Today we’re turning to Cameron Hudson, an expert on the region and former US diplomat and intelligence officer, for a look behind the headlines.

Africa
Conflict

New Atlanticist

Nov 19, 2020

How critical science infrastructure investments help put Arctic security challenges on ice

By Benjamin Schmitt

The strategic importance of the Arctic has not yet been matched with corresponding US infrastructure investments in military, economic, and scientific research programs.

National Security
NATO

New Atlanticist

Nov 19, 2020

The Trump administration can still seal a trade deal with India—and cement a legacy

By Mark Linscott

An agreement may not be objectively huge in scope but it should be deemed sufficiently significant in resolving difficult market access issues on both sides, warranting a rapid conclusion during this lame-duck moment.

India
Trade and tariffs

New Atlanticist

Nov 18, 2020

The Trump administration is right—on civilian oversight of special operations

By William F. Wechsler

While the elevation of an assistant secretary of defense may elicit yawns, the move addresses one of the most important issues for any country: how to best secure civilian control over the military.

Defense Policy
National Security

Fast Thinking

Nov 18, 2020

Here’s what foreign interference in the 2020 election actually looked like

By Graham Brookie, Alyssa Kann

On this episode of Fast Thinking, Graham Brookie and Alyssa Kann of the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab dive into what we know about how disinformation and interference played out in the 2020 US election. While some have been quick to call out Iran and Russia for meddling in the race, Graham and Alyssa […]

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