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.

Economic Growth Seen as “Path to Power” in Brazil, But Will Politics Let It Happen?

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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Dive deep into developing stories, guided by continually updated expert analysis that leaves you better informed about the most pressing global issues behind the headlines.

Markup

Our experts decipher and annotate major speeches and policy documents to break down big ideas and lay them out in plain language.

New Atlanticist

Jul 6, 2016

Economic Growth Seen as “Path to Power” in Brazil, But Will Politics Let It Happen?

By Meghan Rowley

Amid political uncertainty and a deepening recession, economic growth is seen as the “key” to reform and prosperity in Brazil. “If we fail economic growth, all the other scenarios would be a disaster,” said Ricardo Sennes, a nonresident senior Brazil fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center. “Not just disaster in the […]

Brazil Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Jul 6, 2016

European Union Must Integrate Cybersecurity Efforts to Protect Energy Assets

By Madison Freeman

In December of 2015, a sophisticated cyberattack on Ukraine’s power grid caused outages that left nearly 225,000 citizens without power. The malicious software used in the attack was traced back to Russian groups, making the intrusion a stunning realization of the threat posed by cyberattacks. Though this event called attention to the vulnerability of European […]

Cybersecurity Energy & Environment

New Atlanticist

Jul 6, 2016

A Security Dilemma in Northeastern Europe?

By John R. Deni

At NATO’s summit in Warsaw this week, the Alliance is expected to approve a plan to rotationally deploy as many as four battalions—roughly 4,000 troops—on the territory of the Baltic States and Poland in what it calls a new “persistent presence.” This represents a significant qualitative improvement in the reassurance and deterrence steps that the […]

NATO Russia

New Atlanticist

Jul 5, 2016

NATO should stand up Black Sea Command before it’s too late

By Ariel Cohen

The Black Sea is a sensitive, vital, and somewhat neglected region that Russia has attempted to dominate since the last quarter of the eighteenth century, when Catherine the Great and Grigory Potemkin controlled its northern shores and occupied Crimea.

Maritime Security NATO

Bremain vs Brexit

Jul 5, 2016

Brexit Will Damage the US-UK Special Relationship

By Richard LeBaron

On a visit to London last week, I had a front-row seat for the political turmoil emerging from a vote for Brexit that no one expected. I thought British politics were in serious trouble when I served as deputy chief of mission and chargé d’affaires at the US Embassy between 2007 and 2010. But the […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Jul 5, 2016

October Surprise? Planning for Venezuela’s Collapse

By David L. Goldwyn and Cory R. Gill

As the June 23 Brexit referendum demonstrates, governments can take irreversible, momentous, and damaging actions without anticipating the consequences. While reason suggests Venezuela should adjust its fiscal policies, ensure basic human needs, avoid sovereign default, and continue oil production for cash flow, it could easily fail to do all of the above. The ripples of […]

Venezuela

New Atlanticist

Jul 1, 2016

US Isolationism Has Few Takers Abroad

By Meghan Rowley

Pew survey finds isolationist policies would be ‘unpopular’ Amid global trends of isolationism and proposals from Donald Trump for US disengagement, an international survey conducted by Pew Research Center suggests that isolationist policies would be “unpopular” if enacted by the next US administration.

Elections Europe & Eurasia

New Atlanticist

Jul 1, 2016

Crisis in Brazil Seen as Foreign Trade Opportunity

By Meghan Rowley

Brazil’s recent political and economic instability, while bringing uncertainty to the region, is also seen as creating an opportunity for the country to refocus its development efforts internationally. “Times of crisis are times of opportunities,” Daniel Godinho, Brazil’s secretary for trade, said at the Atlantic Council in Washington on June 28. “There’s a growing consensus […]

Brazil Economy & Business

Bremain vs Brexit

Jul 1, 2016

Europe Needs a New Approach in a Post-Brexit World

By Ana Palacio

Of the many things that the British decision to leave the European Union has been called—earthquake, inflection point, game-changer, disaster—perhaps the most important is wake up call. If June 23 does not raise European leaders from their collective slumber, then hope is lost for this European project of ours. And yet, in the days since […]

Europe & Eurasia European Union

New Atlanticist

Jun 30, 2016

North American Leaders’ Summit Furthers COP-21 Climate Goals

By Robert Ichord

The climate change partnership announcement made by the leaders of Canada, the United States, and Mexico at the North American Leaders Summit on June 29 continues the political ambition of the three countries to work toward a low-carbon future. The announcement follows commitments made in the COP-21 Paris climate agreement to reduce carbon emissions.

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance

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