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.

George H.W. Bush: the right man at the right time

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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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 2, 2018

George H.W. Bush: the right man at the right time

By Daniel Fried

Ahead of almost the entire US foreign policy establishment, Bush bet on freedom, one of the great calls of US Cold War policy. He showed prudence and restraint in his tactics, but deployed these qualities in the service of strategic US interests and its deeper values, which he understood were indivisible.

Democratic Transitions Poland

New Atlanticist

Dec 2, 2018

Trump, Xi reach trade war truce… for now

By Ashish Kumar Sen

“China is extremely focused on building its economy of the future and will certainly try to take advantage of President Trump’s obsession with rebuilding the industries of the past,” said Atlantic Council nonresident senior fellow Jamie Metzl.

China Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Dec 1, 2018

Remembering George H.W. Bush

By David A. Wemer

Although we are only a quarter century removed from his time in office, I believe history’s verdict to be clear: he was one of the finest international statesmen to ever to serve our country as Commander in Chief," said Madeleine Albright, advisor to the Atlantic Council's International Advisory Board and former US secretary of state.

Politics & Diplomacy

Art of Future Warfare

Dec 1, 2018

Diverse perspectives are Key to innovative thinking

By John Watts

The outcomes of this design workshop were used to help military designers think about the different ways technology will change our society, and how that will impact the way that capabilities will be employed and how we humans will expect to interact with both them and with each other.

Security & Defense Technology & Innovation

New Atlanticist

Dec 1, 2018

That time George H.W. Bush told Bill Clinton he could not have ‘Asked for a better partner’ on tsunami relief

By Atlantic Council

"You led the world through the 1990s, helped secure a free, democratic and peaceful Europe, expanded and consolidated the North Atlantic alliance and advocated, very much in line with my own thinking, free trade and economic integration throughout the world," said President George H. W. Bush of President Clinton at Distinguished International Leadership Award ceremony.

New Atlanticist

Nov 30, 2018

Kosovo’s president pushes for peace deal with Serbia

By David A. Wemer

Both Kosovo and Serbia now have their sights set on EU and NATO membership, but must first come to a formal peace agreement and normalize relations.

Eastern Europe NATO

New Atlanticist

Nov 30, 2018

At the G20, a battle to reaffirm the value of a multilateral system

By Paula Garcia Tufro

As we look at key issues on the G20 agenda, trade, climate change, migration, sustainable development, and pandemics remain transnational issues that require global solutions.

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

New Atlanticist

Nov 30, 2018

With AMLO, an opportunity to reset the US-Mexico relationship

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The populist leader, who is more popularly known as AMLO, will be sworn in as the president of Mexico on December 1. This may be good news for the US-Mexico relationship.

Mexico

New Atlanticist

Nov 30, 2018

UN migration agreement leads to splits in the European Union

By Miranda L. Prosdotti

In reality, since the height of the migrant crisis European leaders have cut unauthorized migration by 90 percent, and UNHCR data shows that the number of arriving migrants is back to its pre-crisis level.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Nov 30, 2018

Don’t be fooled, parliament is still in control in Britain

By John Roberts

But despite all this activity there is a real paradox. There is no indication that there is a natural majority in Parliament for any prospective future relationship between Britain and the European Union.

Politics & Diplomacy United Kingdom

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