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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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

Oct 3, 2018

So much for US-Iran amity

By Ashish Kumar Sen

“Theater is part of diplomacy... In this case, we have a largely symbolic US action regarding a mainly obsolete treaty in response to another largely symbolic Iranian action regarding a generally ineffectual court,” said William F. Wechsler, interim director of the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East.“

Iran Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Oct 3, 2018

South Sudan’s first vice president optimistic about peace, but no one is buying It

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The almost 400,000 people killed over the past five years “is a higher mortality rate vis-à-vis population than the civil war in Syria,” said J. Peter Pham, director of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center.

Conflict Crisis Management

New Atlanticist

Oct 3, 2018

Here’s how 3D printers could become a global nonproliferation nightmare

By Spandana Singh

Widespread 3D printing could enable nations that are the target of international sanctions to sidestep regulations and print restricted items. This would undermine the legitimacy and effectiveness of this vital foreign policy instrument.

Non-Traditional Threats Nuclear Nonproliferation

New Atlanticist

Oct 3, 2018

Macedonia vote is not the end of the road

By Sarah Bedenbaugh, Damon Wilson, and Graham Brookie

Voter turnout on September 30 was disappointing by some measures, but the vote and the result itself was cause for great optimism as citizens made clear their preference for a European future.

Disinformation Elections

New Atlanticist

Oct 2, 2018

Here’s how to fight disinformation

By David A. Wemer

In the case of the 2016 US election, Russian actors took advantage of a “massively fragmented media market” to promote fake news stories and disseminate stolen material, according to Atlantic Council Senior Fellow Laura Galante.

Disinformation English

New Atlanticist

Oct 1, 2018

A modernized NAFTA

By Ashish Kumar Sen

In negotiations that went down to the wire, Canada agreed on September 30 to join the United States and Mexico in a revised version of NAFTA. The new agreement will be referred to as the United State-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Economy & Business Mexico

New Atlanticist

Oct 1, 2018

Macedonia’s European dream: what next?

By David A. Wemer

“If Macedonia wants to be in NATO and the European Union, it by definition must come to an agreement with its neighbor Greece,” said Damon Wilson, executive vice president of the Atlantic Council.

NATO Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Oct 1, 2018

Meet the new NAFTA: The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement

By Ashish Kumar Sen

With this breakthrough, Trump has fulfilled his campaign promise to rewrite NAFTA, which he has called “the worst trade deal in history.” The new agreement was negotiated “on the principle of fairness and reciprocity,” said Trump.

Mexico Trade and tariffs

New Atlanticist

Sep 28, 2018

Kosovo’s Prime Minister says plan to swap territory with Serbia puts his country’s transatlantic aspirations at risk

By Ashish Kumar Sen

In an interview with the New Atlanticist in Washington on September 28, Haradinaj insisted that the land-swap proposal does not advance Kosovo’s prospects of EU membership.

The Balkans

New Atlanticist

Sep 28, 2018

Atlantic Council presents Global Citizen Award to Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg

By Atlantic Council

Solberg and her government have been deeply committed to not only improving the lives of their citizens in Norway, but working to assist people around the world.

Northern Europe Politics & Diplomacy

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