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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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.

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Our experts decipher and annotate major speeches and policy documents to break down big ideas and lay them out in plain language.

Bremain vs Brexit

Nov 27, 2018

Brexit: The road ahead

By Bart Oosterveld and Álvaro Morales Salto-Weis

Successfully navigating these perilous waters would be an impressive feat for May. If she succeeds, she would have quelled internal opposition and boosted her mandate to negotiate the long-term EU-UK relationship after the UK officially leaves the EU on March 29, 2019.

European Union Eurozone

New Atlanticist

Nov 27, 2018

A pivotal year ahead for Afghanistan

By Omar Samad

Reaching consensus inside Afghanistan on a shared vision and inclusive plan of action, while rebuilding an international consensus that views the country as a regional platform for cooperation and connector for economic integration, are essential prerequisites for a successful political settlement.

Afghanistan Democratic Transitions

New Atlanticist

Nov 26, 2018

Beware the lure of sanctions for Russia’s latest aggression

By Brian O'Toole

While sanctions may be useful to threaten Russia to rectify this situation, any imposition of them needs to be more strategically deployed—ideally with the EU—and lifted only for more strategic gains, vice resolution of this specific incident.

Conflict Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

New Atlanticist

Nov 26, 2018

Another Ukraine crisis tests US resolve

By Mark David Simakovsky

The United States should also work quickly and quietly to engage both the Russian and Ukrainian governments on the incident, warning them of the risks of further provocations and the need to find a way to ensure full and responsible Ukrainian access to its cities on the Sea of Azov.

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion Maritime Security

New Atlanticist

Nov 26, 2018

An opportunity for the EU to give Ukraine a helping hand

By András Tóth-Czifra

Ultimately, EU leaders should keep in mind that in Ukraine, just as in other countries of the EU’s neighborhood, the EU has a normative, not a geopolitical battle to win.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Nov 26, 2018

Deal or no deal? The perils of extricating the UK from the EU

By Iain Begg

What happens next? The immediate challenge for May is to have the withdrawal deal endorsed in a parliamentary vote, expected to be held in mid-December.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Nov 26, 2018

Latvia struggles to form a government

By Rihards Kols

The newly elected parliament is very fragmented and still—a month and a half after the election—is unable to produce a stable government, a phenomenon also seen in other European countries this year.

Democratic Transitions Elections

New Atlanticist

Nov 25, 2018

Russia-Ukraine conflict heats up the Sea of Azov: Echoes of Russia’s war with georgia?

By Ashish Kumar Sen

“For months, Russian forces have been working to make the Azov Sea an internal Russian body of water in order to both cut off Ukraine’s eastern ports and cement Moscow’s hold on Crimea,” said Damon Wilson, executive vice president of the Atlantic Council.

Conflict Maritime Security

New Atlanticist

Nov 22, 2018

A look at the United Kingdom’s security relationship with the EU in a post-Brexit world

By Brooks Tigner

For the future not only of the UK and the EU, but also for stable transatlantic relations, we should keep all our fingers and toes crossed that reason will prevail when that Brexit package is put to a vote by Westminster’s parliamentarians.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Nov 21, 2018

Who’s afraid of an EU ‘Magnitsky Act’? Bill Browder says it’s not just the targets

By Teri Schultz

All twenty-eight European Union governments met in The Hague on November 20 to negotiate for the first time the adoption of a legal mechanism to sanction human rights violators, prompted by Browder’s very personal nine-year campaign to get justice for his friend, murdered in a Russian prison.

European Union Russia

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