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.

President-Elect AMLO: A Seismic Shift in Mexico

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

Jul 2, 2018

President-Elect AMLO: A Seismic Shift in Mexico

By Ashish Kumar Sen

For Andrés Manuel López Obrador it was third time lucky. The new president-elect, popularly known as AMLO, won Mexico’s July 1 presidential election by a landslide picking up more than 50 percent of the vote. A self-described nationalist leader who hails from the southern state of Tabasco and is a former mayor of Mexico City, […]

Mexico

New Atlanticist

Jul 2, 2018

Mexico’s Energy Reforms: The Prospects Under an AMLO Administration

By David L. Goldwyn

The election of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) augurs great uncertainty over the direction of Mexico’s seminal 2013 energy reforms. As a candidate, AMLO spoke in favor of pausing new offerings for oil and gas investment acreage, building more refining capacity within Mexico, and developing the nation’s gas supplies. Changes in Mexico’s energy framework will […]

Energy & Environment Latin America

New Atlanticist

Jun 29, 2018

Giving Peace a Chance in Eastern Ukraine

By Teri Schultz

OSCE monitor calls for withdrawal of heavy weapons, troops as ceasefire agreed All sides in the conflict in eastern Ukraine must withdraw heavy weapons and troops and remove landmines if a new ceasefire, expected to go into effect on July 1, is to have any chance of success, according to Alexander Hug who oversees what […]

Ukraine

New Atlanticist

Jun 29, 2018

Now is Not the Time for a US-Russia Summit

By Mark Simakovsky

The US-Russia summit on July 16, which will take place several days after President Trump issues a broadside against NATO Allies July 11-12 for their lack of burden sharing, will undermine US and NATO interests vis-à-vis Russia. Although a summit between the US and Russian Presidents can be productive at the right time and with the right approach, […]

Russia

New Atlanticist

Jun 29, 2018

Saudi Arabia Puts Women in the Driver’s Seat

By Phoebe Amend

On June 4, Saudi Arabia issued driver’s licenses to ten women for the first times in their lives. This followed a repeal—announced by royal decree last September—of the female driving ban, which officially ended on June 24. In what is one among a number of ambitious socioeconomic reforms driven by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin […]

Saudi Arabia

New Atlanticist

Jun 29, 2018

Gender Equality Should be a Priority for Mexico’s Next President

By Katherine Pereira

On July 1, voters in Mexico will head to the polls to fill more than 3,000 elected positions. The presidency, senate, and the chamber of deputies, as well as state and municipal positions are up for grabs. Although women eighteen and older comprise 52 percent of the electorate (44,483,446 votes), presidential candidates’ proposals on gender […]

Mexico

New Atlanticist

Jun 29, 2018

Managing a Trump-Putin Summit Amid Confusion Over US Policy Toward Russia

By Brian O'Toole

The Janus-esque Russia policy of US President Donald J. Trump’s administration has been thrust back into the forefront with the president’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on July 16. On one hand, the Trump administration has been tougher on Russia than it is sometimes given credit for: it has levied several rounds […]

Russia United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Jun 28, 2018

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: Turkey’s ‘Master President’

By David Wemer

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s reelection on June 24 ensures that “he will be master president at least until 2024, if not longer,” according to Aaron Stein, a resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East.

New Atlanticist

Jun 27, 2018

The Trump-Putin Summit

By David Wemer

US President Donald J. Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, will hold their first summit in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, the White House announced on June 28. The meeting will come days after the NATO Summit in Brussels and Trump’s visit to the United Kingdom. US National Security Advisor John Bolton has said […]

Russia

New Atlanticist

Jun 27, 2018

Buckle Up, This Tariff Tantrum is Not Ending Anytime Soon

By Bart Oosterveld

The trade war being waged by US President Donald J. Trump’s administration is one of the major risks to global growth outcomes for this year and next. Markets have been busy digesting a steady flow of trade-related news, such as possible investment restrictions on Chinese firms wanting to do business in the United States and […]

Economy & Business

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