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.

EU looks for next step in coronavirus economic response

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

Stay updated

Explore our unique analysis

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.

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

May 26, 2020

EU looks for next step in coronavirus economic response

By Bart Oosterveld

An agreement within the EU to not only jointly issue debt, but to disburse the proceeds of those debt issuances in the form of grants to financially weaker member states, would be an important moment in capital markets.

Coronavirus
European Union

New Atlanticist

May 26, 2020

The WTO needs a new DG: No time for business as usual

By Marc L. Busch

Will the WTO finally pick a woman? Which continent “gets” the slot? And does the institution need someone from a developing country? These questions merit attention, but first, it’s time to ask why this isn’t “business as usual.”

International Financial Institutions
Trade and tariffs

New Atlanticist

May 26, 2020

The 5×5—Is it a game or is it real? Simulations and wargaming in cyber

By Simon Handler

Greater insight into risk and response allow public and private sector organizations to better prepare for crisis before it happens and rerun history to stave off defeat in future. Wargames can be complex live events or low-cost simulations. They can even be the basis for major reforms to policy and doctrine, giving us much to understand about them. Shall we play a game?

Cybersecurity

New Atlanticist

May 21, 2020

How societies can fight pandemics and climate change at the same time

By David A. Wemer

While many officials worry about their potential bandwidths to deal with two major problems at the same time, Dr. Aaron Bernstein explained that both crises “share the same causes and that means they share the same solutions.”

Climate Change & Climate Action
Coronavirus

New Atlanticist

May 21, 2020

Guatemalan president criticizes US over lack of COVID-19 assistance

By Larry Luxner

“Guatemala is an ally of the United States, but I don’t believe the US is an ally to Guatemala, because they don’t treat us like one,” he said. “We’ve seen how they’ve assisted other countries with ventilators, and we haven’t even gotten a dime from them—not even one single mask from the United States. We don’t feel appreciated.”

Central America
Coronavirus

New Atlanticist

May 21, 2020

Will COVID-19 exacerbate or defuse conflicts in the Middle East?

By Masoud Mostajabi

With the virus has come the reshuffling of priorities needed to combat the pandemic, casting new light on these long-running conflicts. On May 20, 2020, the United Nations Under-Secretary General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary A. DiCarlo sat down with the Atlantic Council’s Future of Iran Initiative director Barbara Slavin to discuss potential new openings to advance peace in the region.

Coronavirus
Middle East

New Atlanticist

May 20, 2020

How the coronavirus impacts Japan’s prospects for constitutional revision

By Mirna Galic

Whether or not the Japanese public will face a choice on revising the constitution in the near future now seems inextricably tied with the coronavirus; either it will scuttle efforts to hold a constitutional referendum before the end of Abe’s term or it will be the impetus for an accelerated effort.

Coronavirus
Japan

New Atlanticist

May 20, 2020

The day after COVID-19 and saving emerging markets

By Mohammed Soliman and Francisco Campos

While developed markets have responded with historical levels of fiscal stimulus, globally there is immediate fiscal need in the emerging markets to tackle the health and economic fallout.

Africa
Coronavirus

New Atlanticist

May 19, 2020

Activists fight COVID-19 disinformation in the Caucasus

By Larry Luxner

Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia now face a new and growing threat: the steady stream of propaganda related to how and why COVID-19 is spreading throughout the Caucasus.

Disinformation
The Caucasus

New Atlanticist

May 19, 2020

Seven perspectives on securing the global IoT supply chain

By Trey Herr

Many IoT devices are manufactured abroad and many of these are extremely low cost with little consideration made for security. There is nothing inherently untrustworthy or insecure about foreign manufacturing, and individual firm and product lines are much more fruitful levels of analysis in establishing good security practices from bad. Importantly however—the United States has limited means to enforce its standards in foreign jurisdictions, like China, where the bulk of IoT products are manufactured.

Cybersecurity
Internet

Share

Issue briefs and reports