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

Stay updated

Explore our unique analysis

Fast Thinking

When major global news breaks, the Atlantic Council’s experts have you covered—delivering their sharpest rapid insight and forward-looking analysis direct to your inbox.

Experts React

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

May 27, 2016

Lessons from the Price of Oil

By Brenda Shaffer

The global oil price this week rose to the $50-a-barrel mark and, for the first time since it began a downward spiral two years ago, seems to have ended the lowest stretch of this current price cycle. The behavior of the price of oil over the past two years has important lessons, particularly as we […]

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance

Bremain vs Brexit

May 25, 2016

Europe Facing a ‘Stress Test’

By Ashish Kumar Sen

British ambassador makes the case for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union Europe is facing a “stress test” in the form of challenges from a “belligerent” Russia, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, a historic influx of migrants, high rates of unemployment, and low levels of trust in European institutions, the […]

European Union International Organizations

Bremain vs Brexit

May 25, 2016

Brexit Campaign Makes a Meal of Turkey

By John M. Roberts

Turkey has, quite unexpectedly, become a core issue in the United Kingdom’s referendum on membership of the European Union, prompting British Prime Minister David Cameron to effectively call one of his junior ministers a liar for saying the UK has no veto on Turkey’s entry into the EU. While those who favor the UK’s exit […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

May 23, 2016

Taliban Leader’s Death Puts Pakistan on Notice

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Drone strike should send a signal that the United States will not tolerate terrorist safe havens, said Atlantic Council’s James B. Cunningham The US drone strike that killed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour in Pakistan over the weekend should send a clear signal that the United States will no longer tolerate terrorist sanctuaries in […]

Afghanistan Pakistan

New Atlanticist

May 20, 2016

Diplomacy Seen Key to Defusing Tensions with Russia

By Victoria Langton

More confidence-building measures will be required to defuse tensions between the West and Russia, Lamberto Zannier, the secretary general of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said at the Atlantic Council on May 20. Such measures should include working groups as a key tool for “dispelling concerns” and setting “parameters,” said Zannier. Urging […]

New Atlanticist

May 19, 2016

A ‘Shortsighted’ US Embrace

By Ashish Kumar Sen

For Obama administration, anti-terrorism agenda comes at the cost of human rights when picking partners, says Human Rights Watch’s Kenneth Roth The Obama administration has, in the conduct of its war against terrorism, embraced a “shortsighted” approach that sets aside a democratic agenda and overlooks human rights abuses committed by some of its closest allies […]

North Africa Saudi Arabia

New Atlanticist

May 19, 2016

America’s Friend in North Africa Deserves Better

By J. Peter Pham

It is written in the Book of Proverbs that “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” In other words, a true friend will tell another unpleasant truths, conveying things the other may not want to hear, but doing so for the sake of the other’s own good, which is valued more than even the friendship […]

Morocco

New Atlanticist

May 18, 2016

The Digital Single Market: Minding the Gap

By Victoria Langton

When it comes to the transatlantic digital marketplace, confluence is key, panelists agreed at the Atlantic Council on May 17. The United States and the European Union must work together in a “holistic manner” to promote innovation and protect privacy, said David O’Sullivan, the EU’s ambassador to the United States. “The way forward is interoperability,” […]

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

New Atlanticist

May 17, 2016

Failure to Quickly Ratify TPP Will Delay Trade Deal by ‘at Least a Decade’

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Retired Adm. Michael Mullen, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sees lack of political capital A failure by Congress to speedily ratify a free-trade agreement between the United States and eleven other Pacific Rim nations will mean that it would take “at least a decade” to muster the political capital needed to push […]

Economy & Business Trade and tariffs

New Atlanticist

May 17, 2016

Brazil’s Salvation: It’s Not the Economy, Stupid

By Andrea Murta

In his first speech as the new acting president of Brazil, Michel Temer said on May 12 that he would form a government of “national salvation.” It was an interesting choice of words: given the depth of the problems the country is facing right now Brazil clearly needs some sort of redemption. But if you […]

Brazil

Share

Issue briefs and reports