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.

Challenges and opportunities for Croatia’s new president

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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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

Feb 19, 2020

Challenges and opportunities for Croatia’s new president

By Claudia Vaughn Zittle

Croatia’s new president Zoran Milanovic entered office on February 18 with a legacy to build upon and several challenges to overcome. Over the last fifteen years, Croatia has made remarkable progress as a democratic state, joining NATO in 2009 and the European Union (EU) in 2013. Even so, the uncertain future of European integration, uneven economic development, and malign foreign influence present challenges for Croatia and the Balkans region. The United States, other EU members, and NATO allies have a role to play in supporting Croatia’s efforts to tackle these challenges.

Economy & Business
Elections

New Atlanticist

Feb 18, 2020

The next US-Taliban deal is just one step—and the Afghans must have their say—on the path toward peace in Afghanistan

By James B. Cunningham

The agreement now developing can be a vital first step toward the political solution we have long known is the only way to end the conflict, consistent with the interests of the Afghan people and their international partners. But there will be many more steps to come before that goal is achieved.

Afghanistan
Conflict

New Atlanticist

Feb 18, 2020

Spain’s position on Venezuela jeopardizes unified fight for democracy

By Cristina Guevara

Support shown to the Maduro regime on ideological grounds serves to fuel further polarization, not only in Venezuela, but around the world. Whatever the nature of the relationship between the Maduro regime and Podemos, or ideological commonalities between the two, lending diplomatic support for Maduro is commending a dictatorship.

Democratic Transitions
Southern & Southeastern Europe

New Atlanticist

Feb 14, 2020

France and Poland: Helicopters, forks, and reconnections

By Olivier-Rémy Bel

Macron's Poland visit makes political sense, but there is another pressing reason: as we enter an era of great power competition, the unity of Europe—and the unity of the transatlantic alliance—is a critical asset, which will be tested. Mending relations between East and West is part of the groundwork to bolster the political resilience of Europe.

France
Poland

New Atlanticist

Feb 13, 2020

What Johnson’s cabinet reshuffle means

By John M. Roberts

By purging two of the most important members of his government along with a cluster of other cabinet ministers on February 13, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is seeking to set his own presidential stamp on the premiership and warning that he will brook no challenge to himself or his policies.

Politics & Diplomacy
United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Feb 13, 2020

The UK’s busy trade agenda for 2020

By Hung Tran

Post-Brexit Britain is aiming for trade agreements with the EU, the Untied States, China, and more in 2020. But negotiating such a wide range of complex trade deals in a relatively short time frame is quite a formidable challenge.

Trade and tariffs
United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Feb 12, 2020

The German center does not hold

By Michael John Williams

As Germans continue to come to grips with the political fall-out of the debacle in Thuringia and the selection of a new leader for the CDU, one thing is clear, the political stability offered by the dominance of the center-left and center-right that typified the Federal Republic of Germany is anything but certain in the months and years to come.

Elections
Germany

New Atlanticist

Feb 12, 2020

After the 2020 Taiwan election: Strengthening defense and security cooperation

By Chang-Ching Tu

Seemingly good results at the polls do not negate the domestic and international issues that President Tsai and the DPP will have to face over the next four years, including internal battles over Taiwanese national identity, cooperation with the United States, and relations with mainland China.

China
Elections

New Atlanticist

Feb 12, 2020

The Arctic is “not up for grabs,” Norwegian ambassador says

By Connor McPartland

“The Arctic is changing, but our objectives remain the same: to secure peace and stability,” Norwegian Ambassador to the United States Kare R. Aas said on February 6. During keynote address opening the Atlantic Council’s “Looking North: Conference on Security in the Arctic,” Aas laid out Norway’s approach to the Arctic, noting that it takes its role as an Arctic state seriously.

NATO
Northern Europe

New Atlanticist

Feb 11, 2020

Trump’s national security advisor touts new “streamlined” National Security Council

By David A. Wemer

Less than five months on the job, US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien reported that the National Security Council was in the final stages of a reorganization that would get it “back to a manageable size.” O’Brien, who succeeded John Bolton as the assistant to the president for national security affairs in October, explained that he has led a “right-sizing” of the National Security Council which will bring its total number of staffers from 175 to 110 by the end of the month.

China
Economy & Business

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