New Atlanticist

Trump’s Budget Will Weaken National Security, say Lawmakers

US President Donald J. Trump’s draft budget, which proposes to increase defense spending by slashing funding for the US Department of State and foreign aid, would imperil national security efforts and weaken the US stance on the world stage, according to two US lawmakers—one a Democrat and the other a Republican. “You cannot balance the […]

A ‘Strange Allegation’ About UK Spying

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Trump administration must defuse crisis with its ally, says Sir Peter Westmacott, a former UK ambassador to the United States US President Donald J. Trump’s support for an unsubstantiated claim that his predecessor, Barack Obama, asked Britain’s spy agency to eavesdrop on him is a “strange allegation” that “calls into question very important elements of […]

‘Mexico Has Options’

Energy sector reform will continue with or without the United States, said former Mexican official Though recent political tensions threaten the stability of US-Mexico relations, Mexico’s ongoing energy sector reform will continue without US partnership, if necessary, according to Mexico’s former deputy secretary of energy. “Mexico’s energy reform does not depend on the United States,” […]

A Saudi Royal Visits Trump

By Shehab al-Makahleh

While Saudi Arabia’s King Salman was on the fourth leg of his three-week Asia tour, his son, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS), became the first Saudi royal to visit the White House during the administration of US President Donald J. Trump. With the king wrapping up his state visit in Japan before going […]

Relations with Russia: A Strategy of ‘Constrainment’

By Alexander Vershbow

Three years ago this month, Russia illegally annexed Crimea and laid the groundwork for its ongoing campaign to destabilize Ukraine.  That moment marked the end of a period of more than twenty years when the countries of the West looked to Russia as a partner. Of course, even before 2014, Russia had demonstrated a pattern […]

A Welcome Disruption

By Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir

We are entering a new era of clean energy disruption. This transformation will have a global impact, including on energy security, climate change, economic development, that will have repercussions for geopolitics and international relations. More and more governments are realizing the importance of renewable and sustainable energy resources. Hydrocarbons will continue to play a role […]

Addressing Asia’s Security Challenges

By Jack Gloss

When approaching security in the Asia-Pacific region, new trends such as deepening intra-Asian defense cooperation and significant increases in Asian defense spending, now on par with that of North America, must be considered, said an Atlantic Council analyst. “There is a trend of very significant increases in Asian defense spending, as well as concomitant intra-Asian […]

Merkel Puts Europe First

By Ashish Kumar Sen

German chancellor’s visit to Washington puts focus on US-German, US-European relationships, says Atlantic Council’s Fran Burwell German Chancellor Angela Merkel faces a tough re-election battle in September and a meeting with US President Donald J. Trump is perhaps not the best way for her to burnish her credentials with the German electorate. The fact that […]