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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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 24, 2019

The last days of May

By John M. Roberts

British Prime Minister Theresa May has suffered the ultimate political indignity, announcing her own political demise after just three years as prime minister of the world’s fifth-biggest economy.

European Union
United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

May 24, 2019

Theresa May resigns over Brexit chaos

By David A. Wemer

Having taken office less than one month after the UK voted to leave the EU, May will now leave almost three years later with that very exit still up in the air.

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

May 23, 2019

Narendra Modi wins big. What’s next for India?

By Nidhi Upadhyaya

The big question now is how Modi will use his second five-year term at the helm of the world’s largest democracy. India faces plenty of challenges: a high unemployment rate, slow economic growth, changing geopolitical relationships, border security issues, and a deepening religious divide.

Elections
India

New Atlanticist

May 23, 2019

Quiz: Showtime for the EU

By Atlantic Council

While Europe has caught election fever, were you paying attention to what else was going on in the world?

New Atlanticist

May 23, 2019

Bullseye on Brussels: Can EU defeat disinformation in parliamentary elections?

By Teri Schultz

The vast amount of foreign meddling in the 2016 US presidential election was a wakeup call for the European Union (EU). It was obvious the next big target of malign actors would be Europe, with twenty-eight countries electing more than 750 lawmakers in May 2019.

Disinformation
European Union

New Atlanticist

May 22, 2019

Crossing the cyber Rubicon: Views from both sides of the river

By Jack Watson and William Loomis

Did the IDF’s airstrike ‘cross the Rubicon’ by using lethal force in response to hacking? On the weekend of May 5, a month after a truce was agreed between Israel and Hamas forces in the Gaza Strip, violence again rose to levels not seen since 2014.

Cybersecurity
Israel

New Atlanticist

May 22, 2019

With tariffs lifted, the future looks bright for the North American trade deal

By Maria Fernanda Perez Arguello and Pablo Reynoso Brito

Although there are significant problems ahead, including House Democrats’ concerns around labor enforcement, the elimination of steel and aluminum tariffs represents a positive step towards ratification of the USMCA.

Economy & Business
Mexico

New Atlanticist

May 21, 2019

Nuclear power could be the key to a secure future, senators say

By David A. Wemer

The potential for nuclear power plants to provide substantial emissions-free energy on a reliable and cost-effective basis will be key to addressing a range of challenges facing the United States, from climate change to economic competition, US Sens. Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said on May 21.

Climate Change & Climate Action
Nuclear Energy

New Atlanticist

May 21, 2019

Theresa May’s last chance

By John M. Roberts

British Prime Minister Theresa May unveiled on May 21 a supposed new deal for Britain’s departure from the European Union that looks remarkably like the deal Parliament has already rejected three times.

European Union
Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

May 21, 2019

How to push back against Kremlin’s malign influence

By David A. Wemer

The United States needs to do more to push back against Russia’s attempts to disrupt democratic societies around the world, Michael Carpenter, a senior fellow in the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, told US lawmakers on May 21.

Economic Sanctions
Russia

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