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.

The economic battleground between China and the United Kingdom

New Atlanticist Mar 6, 2025

How European leaders are responding to Trump’s approach to Ukraine and Europe

From London and Berlin to Paris and Brussels, European leaders have taken several notable steps this week on security. This follows the blow-up between the Ukrainian and US presidents on February 28.

New Atlanticist Feb 26, 2025

Why the US should not lift sanctions against Russia

By Charles Lichfield

Sanctions are having an unmistakable effect, albeit below the inflated expectations of many in the West in early 2022. Lifting them now would be a mistake.

Conflict Economic Sanctions

New Atlanticist Mar 5, 2025

The Egyptian plan for postwar Gaza is a good starting point—but it needs changes

By Thomas S. Warrick

While many obstacles remain, the Egyptian proposal could form the starting point for negotiations over a workable plan for postwar Gaza.

Conflict Crisis Management

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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.

New Atlanticist

Jan 21, 2020

The economic battleground between China and the United Kingdom

By Michael Greenwald

The importance of the Shanghai-London Stock Connect suspension will depend on whether additional policy moves targeting large British firms will follow. In terms of tangible effects, this event causes little economic disruption, but is probably the most symbolically important use of Chinese financial sanctions thus far.

China Financial Regulation

New Atlanticist

Jan 17, 2020

Berlin conference: The end of the game?

By Karim Mezran

The upcoming conference could result in the acceptance by all of Haftar’s future role in Libya and the legitimization of his attack against Tripoli. The Berlin conference could be a trap for the GNA, the courageous fighters of Tripoli, and the population of western Libya.

Conflict Libya

New Atlanticist

Jan 17, 2020

Khamenei’s rare sermon shows Tehran’s continued defiance

By Atlantic Council

Khameinei's January 17 speech shows that "those placing hopes in recent protests in Iran to shake—or even overturn—the system underestimate its power and ruthlessness," Barbara Slavin explains.

Conflict Iran

New Atlanticist

Jan 16, 2020

The effect of US sanctions on the Iran-Iraq alliance

By Michael Greenwald

The potential sanctions against Iraq under consideration now could damage the United States’ goals in that country and would only embolden Iran’s position—the exact scenario that US policy has tried to avoid. Economic countermeasures, such as restrictions to Iraq’s Federal Reserve accounts—could not only cede economic clout within Iraq to Tehran but could also have significant impact on the US dollar's global position.

Economic Sanctions

New Atlanticist

Jan 15, 2020

Spain’s new government a welcome sign, but Madrid must navigate several fault lines

By Antonio de Lecea

After two general elections in nine months, Spain finally has a government. But the new coalition is a fragile one that will have to deploy creative solutions to address fragmentation along three dimensions: political, territorial, and social. It will be challenging, but it may work.

Elections Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Jan 15, 2020

At the beginning of 2020, what are the global risks and growth prospects for the Euro Area?

By Marc-Olivier Strauss-Kahn

After the high real growth of the EA in 2015 (averaging slightly more than 2% per year), growth in 2019-20 has been downgraded as several risks materialized. Furthermore, the balance of persistent global or domestic risks remain negative even if less than last year.

European Union International Markets

New Atlanticist

Jan 14, 2020

Iranians are protesting again: What does it mean?

By Barbara Slavin

So far, Iranian security personnel have remained loyal to the regime—again, unlike 1979 when the military and police defected in droves. As long as the repressive apparatus of the government is intact, it is likely that the latest protests will eventually fade as past ones have done, only to be followed by others.

Civil Society Corruption

New Atlanticist

Jan 13, 2020

Trump’s bilateral trade deals are undermining the global trading system

By Hung Tran

Overall, the three early 2020 agreements have started to transform the multilateral rule-based system into a largely bilaterally managed, outcome-based system. RTAs and their new practices accelerate the fragmentation of the world trading system into numerous trading zones with different overlapping memberships and trade coverage, tariffs, quotas, and quantitative trade targets, plus other rules such as local content and country of origin requirements as well as dispute settlement processes.

China European Union

Capacity Building Initiative

Jan 13, 2020

Cyber 9/12: Education and innovation on a global scale

By Will Loomis

One of the most important barriers to robust global cybersecurity is the shortage of capable individuals in the workforce pipeline. By 2021, predictions suggest that the world will have more than 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs, with both the private and public sectors facing hiring shortages. While the United States has budding international relations, cybersecurity, and IT-focused academic programs, very little has been done to address the interaction between them, which will be crucial for the success of future cybersecurity professionals.

Cybersecurity

New Atlanticist

Jan 13, 2020

China’s support for the Maduro regime: Enduring or fleeting?

By Cristina Guevara

As Venezuela’s biggest creditor, China is carrying the burden of Venezuela’s economic collapse. The PRC has become increasingly aware of this unsustainable situation, and, behind closed doors, has been in communications with the interim government. Back in February, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that China is open to working with a different government to ensure payment for the loans-for-oil deals. Strictly speaking, China’s relationship with the South American country is transactional, not ideological.

China International Markets

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