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.

Central Asia Summit Establishes Core Initiatives to Enhance Regional Cooperation

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 8, 2016

Central Asia Summit Establishes Core Initiatives to Enhance Regional Cooperation

By John Herbst

It was little noticed, but something of real significance took place in Washington during the first week of August. US Secretary of State John Kerry hosted the Foreign Ministers of five Central Asian nations that emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. With the US largely out of […]

China Europe & Eurasia

New Atlanticist

Aug 7, 2016

Ruling by Fear: Armenia’s Descent into Dictatorship and the Rise of Resistance

By David Grigorian

The events in Armenia from July 17 to July 31 in 2016 and what followed in the early weeks of August highlighted the deep economic, social, and political problems that are facing Armenia today. More alarmingly, they have confirmed without question the country’s slide toward dictatorship and authoritarianism. It all began with a takeover of […]

Russia The Caucasus

New Atlanticist

Aug 5, 2016

US Energy Partnerships with Caribbean Countries Will Herald Long-Term Benefits

By Nathaniel Sizemore

Since tumbling oil prices began to cripple the Venezuelan economy and hurt the efficacy of PetroCaribe— its oil exchange program—the US has launched strategic initiatives in the Caribbean aimed at providing policy and financial assistance to islands seeking to bolster their energy security. The United States’ broad financing initiatives are an important step in the […]

Cuba Energy & Environment

New Atlanticist

Aug 3, 2016

TPP Ratification Deemed as Inflection Point for US Role in Southeast Asia

By Mitch Hulse

A failure to ratify the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)—a proposed free trade agreement between twelve countries—by the United States Congress would seriously weaken both US economic and security interests in Southeast Asia, according to the Atlantic Council’s Robert Manning. “A failure to ratify TPP would mark an inflection point for the US role in Asia,” said […]

China Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Aug 2, 2016

New Report Shows Global Fiscal Transparency Lagging Behind US Standards

By Nathaniel Rome

Developing countries are failing to meet fiscal transparency standards as established by the United States, according to a report released on July 28. The US State Department’s Fiscal Transparency Report—released annually since 2012—details which countries meet the State Department’s minimum fiscal transparency requirements, which countries are making progress towards it, and which countries are making […]

Economy & Business United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Aug 1, 2016

US Airstrikes in Libya Seen as First Step Along Long Path to Defeat ISIS

By Mitch Hulse

The Libyan government must ensure that it can secure, stabilize, and unify the country, even if ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, is defeated with the help of US and Europe-backed airstrikes in the North African country, according to the Atlantic Council’s Karim Mezran. “If they succeed in defeating ISIS, but the government […]

International Organizations Libya

New Atlanticist

Jul 29, 2016

NATO’s Trump Card

By Fabrice Pothier

As strange as it seems, both US President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump seem to agree on one thing: European allies don’t spend enough on defense and they need to seriously step up. How they both frame this message is where Obama the statesman and Trump the salesman differ. Since Russia’s annexation […]

Elections European Union

New Atlanticist

Jul 29, 2016

Investment Compact Brings Hope to Niger

By Mitch Hulse

A nearly $450 million investment package from the Millennium Challenge Corporation—an independent US foreign aid agency—for Niger will empower farmers and bolster transit infrastructure in the West African state, improving the livelihoods of more than 3.9 million Nigeriens, according to Niger’s prime minister, Brigi Rafini. The Nigerien government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) on […]

Economy & Business North & West Africa

New Atlanticist

Jul 28, 2016

France Facing its Biggest Threat Since 1945

By Ashish Kumar Sen

French ambassador to the United States, Gérard Araud, sees ‘a very dark moment’ for his country France, a victim of terrorist attacks for the past nineteen months, is facing its greatest security challenge since World War II, according to Gérard Araud, France’s ambassador to the United States. “It is a very, very dark moment for […]

European Union France

New Atlanticist

Jul 27, 2016

Upcoming Elections Spotlight South Africa’s Worsening Economic Crisis

By Chloë McGrath

South Africa’s upcoming municipal elections on August 3 have brought the country’s economic crisis to the forefront of public discussion. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) party will be striving to maintain its political foothold against the Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party as the country continues to deal with a protracted […]

Economy & Business Elections

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