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

Dec 10, 2018

Why the Irish border matters

By Dan Haverty and Brendan Reaney

It remains unclear if the withdrawal agreement May has reached with Brussels will impact the life of her government, but it is clear that the Irish border has impacted the Brexit debate and will force the prime minister to turn to her party’s rivals to push the deal through Parliament.

Democratic Transitions Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Dec 10, 2018

Why human rights matter

By Iain Levine

Even the most basic value that underpins human rights—that every human life has equal worth—is threatened by those who talk and tweet of “the other” in ways that question their very humanity.

Civil Society Human Rights

New Atlanticist

Dec 8, 2018

OPEC attempts to recast its relationship with the United States

By Randolph Bell and Reed Blakemore

Though previous US administrations have taken an interest in OPEC and oil prices, Trump’s consumer-oriented approach to the oil market—and his willingness to use his Twitter account to advocate for that approach—has made always-difficult OPEC negotiations that much more challenging.

International Organizations Oil and Gas

New Atlanticist

Dec 6, 2018

Right-Wing party gains ground in Spain

By Alex Baker

The December 2 regional election in Andalusia ended the Spanish anomaly. As the results poured in, heads turned in Europe as Vox, a populist right-wing party, won 11 percent of the vote and twelve seats in the Andalusian parliament.

Elections Populism

New Atlanticist

Dec 6, 2018

The Trump administration has lost the debate on US-Saudi relations

By Nabeel Khoury

Logically, a superpower like the United States, and one on which the Saudis are almost completely dependent for their security, should be able to demand a genuine corrective course from its ally without having to throw the whole relationship into question.

Geopolitics & Energy Security Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Dec 5, 2018

An uncertain future for Georgian democracy

By Luis Navarro

In her election night victory speech on November 28, Zurabishvili took an important, positive step by acknowledging the need to reach out to those who didn’t vote for her after a very tough and divisive race.

Central Asia The Caucasus

New Atlanticist

Dec 5, 2018

Can sanctions put a dent in crypto crime?

By Michael B. Greenwald

On November 28, the US Treasury Department took an important step in responding to the SamSam ransomware cyberattacks, which occurred earlier this year. Considered one of the most effective cyberattacks in US history, the hackers behind SamSam since 2015 have targeted institutions ranging from companies to hospitals to schools, demanding payments in Bitcoin as ransom. […]

Technology & Innovation United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Dec 4, 2018

The threat of AI to energy security

By Lukas Trakimavičius

In the near future, this highly disruptive breed of malware will usher in a new era of threats to the energy industry, allowing hostile actors to wreak havoc on a scale hitherto unknown.

Cybersecurity Energy & Environment

New Atlanticist

Dec 3, 2018

Qatar’s withdrawal signals ‘a weakening of OPEC’

By David A. Wemer

Qatar’s withdrawal from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will “signal a weakening of OPEC at a time when it is in some ways less powerful than it used to be, but also more crucial in balancing the market because US production is so strong,” Randolph Bell, director of the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center said. Announcing Qatar’s […]

Oil and Gas The Gulf

New Atlanticist

Dec 3, 2018

President George H.W. Bush had ‘the vision thing’ in spades

By Damon Wilson

President George H.W. Bush – more than any post-Cold War president – successfully articulated a vision of a “Europe whole and free” that became an historically successful strategy guiding US policy for the subsequent twenty-five years.

Democratic Transitions Politics & Diplomacy

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