New Atlanticist

US Needs ‘Strategic and Moral Clarity’ for Russia Reset

By Jack Gloss

The presence of “strategic and moral clarity” in Washington is essential before a reset in the US-Russia relationship can be attempted, John E. Herbst, director of the Atlantic Council’s Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center and a former US ambassador to Ukraine, said in Washington on March 28. US President Donald J. Trump has expressed a desire […]

Update NAFTA, But First Understand Why It’s Important

By Carla A. Hills

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was heavily criticized during our recent presidential campaign. The day after US President Donald J. Trump’s swearing in, it was posted on the White House website that “the President is committed to renegotiating NAFTA [to give] American workers a fair deal.” Before moving forward to “renegotiate,” it is […]

Venture Capital in Europe: State of Play

By Ole Moehr

 European venture capital (VC) suffers from fragmentation, undersized funds, lack of private capital, excessive and unfavorable regulations, dependence on public investment, and an often risk-averse culture. These factors that stymie VC in Europe are interconnected and mutually reinforcing. The European Union (EU) is still not one large VC market; instead, the EU is made up […]

Is Brexit Good for the EU?

The United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union (EU) has strengthened solidarity among the bloc’s other twenty-seven member states, David O’Sullivan, the EU’s ambassador to the United States, said at the Atlantic Council on March 29. “The debate around Brexit has strengthened support for the European Union elsewhere around Europe,” according to O’Sullivan. “If […]

Putin is Not Russia

By Ashish Kumar Sen

US senators, Russian opposition activist call for calibrated pressure on Vladimir Putin Two US senators—one a Republican and the other a Democrat—and a Russian opposition activist who has survived two apparent attempts on his life made a call for greater international pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to respect human rights. Speaking at the Atlantic […]

Trump Needs a Strong European Partner

By Louis Golino

US President Donald Trump has long held disparaging views of the European Union (EU), asserting it is a failure and praising the United Kingdom for its vote to the leave the bloc. However, a weak and fragmented EU, let alone a collapsed one, and the renationalization of European politics that would follow, would be dangerous […]

The EU Now Controls the Brexit Talks

By Reginald Dale

With the United Kingdom formally starting the process of leaving the European Union on March 29, the Atlantic Council is launching a series of blog posts that will track the course of the Brexit negotiations and the many challenges they pose for the future of US-UK relations.  By formally notifying the European Union that it […]

Rwandan President Kagame Seeks Transformation in US Ties

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The United States needs to shift its relationship with Africa from a predominantly humanitarian focus to “productive partnerships,” especially in business, strategic development, and security, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said at the Atlantic Council on March 27. “For decades, the United States has adopted a monolithic approach to Africa,” said Kagame. “It’s time for fresh […]

Wanted: A Plan to Rebuild Syria

With no end in sight to a war that started six years ago, has claimed more than 465,000 lives, and displaced millions, it is fair to ask when is the right time to launch a much-needed effort to rebuild Syria. Should this effort start now, while the country is still ravaged by war, or once […]

US Lawmakers Remain Firm on Russia Sanctions

By Jack Gloss

US sanctions on Russia, imposed in response to the annexation of Crimea in 2014, must not only be maintained, “they should be tightened,” according to Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH). As recently as March 20, Russia has performed military drills practicing “offensive and defensive operations,” in Crimea, Chabot said, adding: “The fact that Russia has successfully […]