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.

Atlantic Council Looks Back on 2008 Russia-Georgia War

New Atlanticist
Mar 6, 2025

How European leaders are responding to Trump’s approach to Ukraine and Europe

From London and Berlin to Paris and Brussels, European leaders have taken several notable steps this week on security. This follows the blow-up between the Ukrainian and US presidents on February 28.

New Atlanticist
Feb 26, 2025

Why the US should not lift sanctions against Russia

By
Charles Lichfield

Sanctions are having an unmistakable effect, albeit below the inflated expectations of many in the West in early 2022. Lifting them now would be a mistake.

Conflict
Economic Sanctions

New Atlanticist
Mar 5, 2025

The Egyptian plan for postwar Gaza is a good starting point—but it needs changes

By
Thomas S. Warrick

While many obstacles remain, the Egyptian proposal could form the starting point for negotiations over a workable plan for postwar Gaza.

Conflict
Crisis Management

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New Atlanticist

Aug 10, 2018

Atlantic Council Looks Back on 2008 Russia-Georgia War

By Atlantic Council

The Atlantic Council commemorated the ten-year anniversary of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war with a series of pieces looking at the impact of the war and the unsettled geopolitical situation today. Here is a look back at the pieces which ran from August 7 until August 9:

Russia The Caucasus

New Atlanticist

Aug 10, 2018

The Russo-Georgian War’s lesson: Russia will strike again

By Ariel Cohen

Let the tenth anniversary of the Russo-Georgian conflict serve as a somber warning both to us and to our European allies: Si vis pacem, para bellum -- “if you want peace, prepare for war”.

Conflict Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

New Atlanticist

Aug 10, 2018

Trump’s Iran Sanctions Are Back: Will They Work?

By Brian O'Toole

On Monday, US President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order detailing the framework for re-imposing sanctions on Iran, which were lifted under the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) nuclear deal, with the goal of getting Iran back to the table to negotiate a deal covering not just Iran’s nuclear weapons program, but also […]

Iran

New Atlanticist

Aug 9, 2018

The West Should Stand Stronger With Georgia

By Mamuka Tsereteli

Ten years ago, Russia invaded Georgia, burning and ethnically cleansing the villages of the Tskhinvali region and occupying and recognizing the regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Moscow’s immediate objective was to limit the sovereign right of Georgia to resist the corrupt, backward, and technologically obsolete Russian political and economic system, and, instead, join the transatlantic political, military, and […]

Russia The Caucasus

New Atlanticist

Aug 9, 2018

The Saudi Arabia-Canada Feud, Explained

By David Wemer

Saudi Arabia and Canada have found themselves in the middle of a diplomatic crisis, which threatens to end all diplomatic and economic contacts between the two countries. Saudi Arabia expelled the Canadian Ambassador in Riyadh on August 6, after Canada’s Foreign Minister, Chrystia Freeland, called for the release of Saudi human rights activist Samar Badawi […]

Saudi Arabia United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Aug 8, 2018

Russia Braces For ‘Crushing’ New Sanctions Over Electoral Interference

By David Wemer

On August 8, the Russian newspaper Kommersant published a draft of what they claim is the new Defending American Security from Kremlin Aggression Act (DASKAA), a bill US senators introduced on August 2 that aims to punish Moscow for its interference in American elections, its continued support for the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, and […]

Russia

New Atlanticist

Aug 8, 2018

The Russia-Georgia War: Not Frozen and Not Forgotten

By Alexandra Hall Hall

On the tenth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Georgia, it is essential not to forget the ongoing human, security, political, and economic impact both of that war, and of Georgia’s underlying unresolved conflicts with the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Nothing brings home the cost of war better than meeting some of its […]

Russia The Caucasus

New Atlanticist

Aug 8, 2018

Turkey and Black Sea Security: Ten Years After the War in Georgia

By Dimitar Bechev

The 2008 war between Georgia and Russia was a critical test for Turkey. It highlighted Ankara’s delicate balancing act between the West and Russia, one that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is still pursuing today. The conflict presented a formidable challenge. Georgia was not just another neighbor for Turkey – the two countries had built robust […]

Russia The Caucasus

New Atlanticist

Aug 7, 2018

A Decade After War With Russia, Georgia Continues its Path Westward

By Mary Trichka and Margaret Meiman

The Russo-Georgian War lasted a brief five days, but its impact is still felt deeply in Georgia and throughout the region. Ten years later, Russia exerts ever-growing influence on Georgia, occupying one-fifth of the country’s territory – the breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia – and using this position to project its power throughout […]

Russia The Caucasus

New Atlanticist

Aug 7, 2018

Britain Will Remain A Global Power After Brexit, UK Defense Minister Says

By David Wemer

“Brexit is Britain’s moment to look up, be more ambitious, and redefine our place in the world,” United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence, Gavin Williamson, said on August 7. Speaking at the Atlantic Council in Washington, Williamson sought to assure those “worrying about Brexit and what role Britain will play in the world,” that […]

United Kingdom

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