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.

Electronic jamming between Russia and NATO is par for the course in the future, but it has its risky limits

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.

New Atlanticist

Nov 15, 2018

Electronic jamming between Russia and NATO is par for the course in the future, but it has its risky limits

By Brooks Tigner

“These circumstances suggest that Russia sees NATO activities as an under-the-screen opportunity to test their jamming and other disruptive capabilities," said Jamie Shea, retired assistant secretary general of the NATO Emerging Threats Division.

NATO Northern Europe

New Atlanticist

Nov 14, 2018

May’s Brexit deal: with Cabinet nod secured, next stop parliament

By David A. Wemer

Based on early reports on the details of the draft deal, the United Kingdom would remain in a customs union with the EU throughout a transition period and until there is an agreement on a permanent trade deal.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Nov 14, 2018

The evolving wildfire threat: fewer, larger fires

By Samuel Jeffrey

While this year’s most intense fires have captured national attention as the largest, most destructive, and deadliest in California history, the total number of fires occurring annually in the United States has actually declined gradually in recent decades.

Resilience United States and Canada

Governance and Cybersecurity

Nov 14, 2018

Utilizing the human element to mitigate today’s sophisticated cyber threat landscape

By Sean Berg

Cyber security investment continues to rise, but so does the volume of threats in stealing sensitive data. A paradigm shift in how we address cybersecurity is needed to stop this vicious cycle and empower cyber defenders with the right tools to mitigate the onslaught of cyberattacks.

Cybersecurity

New Atlanticist

Nov 14, 2018

Trump should not let North Korea missile report get to him

By Todd Rosenblum

This week’s public exposure of more missile sites further erodes belief in North Korea’s intent to shift strategically from guns to butter and makes its public declarations of good intent even less believable. Even though negotiators may have been aware of these sites for some time, public opinion matters.

Korea Nuclear Nonproliferation

New Atlanticist

Nov 14, 2018

The wake-up call

By Michael Morell

The United States is near the point of strategic insolvency, where its “means” are badly out of alignment with its “ends.” There must be greater urgency and seriousness in funding national defense.

Security & Defense United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Nov 13, 2018

No good Brexit options

By Peter Westmacott

The only certainty is that Britain will be worse off if it leaves the EU, in whatever form. Since the referendum, Britain has changed from being the fastest-growing economy in the G7 to the slowest.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Nov 13, 2018

A ‘European’ army? eminently defensible but not probable for a long time to come

By Brooks Tigner

So how feasible is a common army for the foreseeable future? Not very—and not just for political reasons, but also for things quite mundane.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Nov 12, 2018

Violence erupts between Gaza and Israel

By David A. Wemer

“This latest escalation, however, may be more difficult to contain. Israel may feel the need to respond with much stronger force given the number of rockets that have already hit Israel, including a bus earlier today," said Rachel Brandenburg, director fo the Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council.

Conflict Israel

New Atlanticist

Nov 12, 2018

Remembering the Moral Purpose of War

By Paul D. Miller

If the Great War teaches us anything, it is that wars must be fought for a morally-defensible purpose—or not fought at all—and that once a war is won, its moral purpose must continue to animate our postwar efforts to build peace.

Conflict National Security

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