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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New Atlanticist

Jul 12, 2018

NATO engages: A global NATO

By David Wemer

NATO Engages, a two-day event held on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Brussels on July 11 and 12, was jointly hosted by the Atlantic Council, the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF), the Munich Security Conference (MSC), and Women in International Security (WIIS).

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Jul 12, 2018

NATO Deputy Secretary General Praises Trump Leadership on Defense Spending

By David Wemer

After a NATO summit marked by harsh criticism from Donald J. Trump of allies over defense spending, NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller congratulated the US president for his leadership, which she said “has already shown results.” Gottemoeller, speaking at the final session of the NATO Engages event in Brussels co-hosted by the Atlantic Council, […]

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Jul 12, 2018

Ghani hopeful ‘real’ dialogue will bring peace to Afghanistan

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Ghani, speaking at the NATO Engages event co-hosted by the Atlantic Council, said US President Donald J. Trump told world leaders at the NATO Summit this week that the US strategy of a “conditions-based” commitment to Afghanistan was producing results.

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

Jul 12, 2018

Poroshenko Expects Ukraine to be a Priority When Trump Meets Putin

By David Wemer

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko expects Russia’s role in the conflict in his country to be a priority when US President Donald J. Trump meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on July 16. Poroshenko said that meeting, the first summit between Trump and Putin, could go either way, but trusted that “Ukraine would be among […]

NATO Russia

New Atlanticist

Jul 12, 2018

Trump’s NATO Strategy: Shake, Rattle, and Commit

By Ashish Kumar Sen

US President Donald J. Trump on July 12 reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to NATO after declaring that allies had agreed to his demands to spend more on defense. This affirmation came hours after the US president chastised allies for not spending enough on defense and even threated to pull the United States out of […]

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Jul 12, 2018

Here’s What NATO Achieved at Its Brussels Summit

By David Wemer

The NATO Summit in Brussels on July 11 and 12 was dominated by dramatic debates over burden sharing and uncertainty about the United States’ continued commitment to the Alliance. Lost in this shuffle, however, are the tangible actions NATO leaders endorsed after their meetings. Here are the highlights based on the NATO communiqué signed on […]

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Jul 12, 2018

US Senators Back NATO as Trump Leaves Allies On Edge

By Ashish Kumar Sen

In Brussels, where US President Donald J. Trump has castigated allies and cast doubt about the US commitment to NATO, two US senators—one a Republican and the other a Democrat—speaking at the NATO Engages event co-hosted by the Atlantic Council on July 12 expressed their full-throated support for the Alliance. “Congress has your backs,” said […]

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Jul 12, 2018

Iceland’s NATO-Skeptic Leader Says Security is About More Than Just the Military

By David Wemer

NATO and the international community must focus on more than just military strength when discussing security, Iceland’s Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir said in Brussels on July 12 at the NATO Engages event co-hosted by the Atlantic Council. “I personally think this is the view of the future,” she said. “I think we need to look […]

NATO Northern Europe

New Atlanticist

Jul 11, 2018

The Trump-Merkel Showdown

By Mark Fischer and Mark Simakovsky

Managing a growing rift within NATO US President Donald J. Trump traveled to Europe this week with his rhetorical guns loaded, taking aim at NATO allies for failing to adequately pay for their own defense. The primary target of Trump’s ire is German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Despite positive trajectories in both German and NATO allies’ […]

Germany NATO

New Atlanticist

Jul 11, 2018

NATO’s Jamie Shea Signs Off On a Positive Note… And With Some Advice

By Ashish Kumar Sen

At a time where there are so many doubts about NATO at the political level, the paradox is that the Alliance on July 11 came out with a communique—agreed to by all member states—that is “the most substantive… the most complete, the most consensual,” notes Jamie Shea, NATO’s outgoing deputy assistant secretary general for emerging […]

NATO Security & Defense

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