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

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New Atlanticist

Mar 4, 2016

The End of the Lula Era in Brazil

By Andrea Murta

March 4, 2016, will go down in Brazilian history books as the end of the Lula era. On this date, iconic former President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was taken into police custody after being accused of allegedly receiving more than $8 million in bribes and undue advantages in connection with the corruption scandal involving […]

Brazil Latin America

Bremain vs Brexit

Mar 3, 2016

European Official Goes to Bat for TTIP

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Trade deal would ‘help to write the rules of the global economy in the twenty-first century,’ says European Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen A transatlantic trade deal, currently being negotiated by the United States and Europe, would strengthen bonds and stimulate growth on both sides of the Atlantic, a senior European official said at the […]

Europe & Eurasia European Union

Congressional Relations

Mar 3, 2016

Remembering Boris Nemtsov

By Mikaila Altenbern

Boris Nemtsov’s legacy and his final project—exposing the Kremlin’s role in the war in Ukraine—were remembered at an event in Washington to mark the first anniversary of his assassination. “He was a man of great values,” said Paula J. Dobriansky, a Senior Fellow at Harvard University and an Atlantic Council board director. Nemtsov was shot […]

Russia Ukraine

New Atlanticist

Mar 3, 2016

Harnessing Pakistan’s Potential

By Syed Azhar Shah

Pakistan’s government and policymakers must do more to harness the potential of young entrepreneurs, writes Syed Azhar Shah, a fellow in the Emerging Leaders of Pakistan program of the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center. “Already, we see a growing ecosystem of Pakistani entrepreneurs developing startups with the potential to become larger, successful entities. If this […]

Pakistan

Bremain vs Brexit

Mar 2, 2016

‘Not the Time for Divisions in Europe’

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Former European Commission President, José Manuel Barroso, warns against Brexit as Europe faces challenges on its eastern and southern flanks The last thing that Europe needs as it grapples with challenges on its eastern and southern flanks is for the United Kingdom to walk out of the European Union, said José Manuel Barroso, a former […]

Europe & Eurasia European Union

New Atlanticist

Mar 1, 2016

Don’t Be Fooled: Lifting EU Sanctions on Russia Won’t Bolster Europe’s Finances

By Vladislav L. Inozemtsev

The debate over sanctions is one of the hottest issues in any discussion on Russian-European relations. Sanctions were first imposed in 2014 by EU member states on Russia, and then by Russia on the EU. In recent months, Russian officials have argued that the EU should lift them, while there have been some signals coming […]

European Union International Organizations

Bremain vs Brexit

Feb 26, 2016

Nuclear Component Must Be Part of NATO’s Deterrence Policy in Europe’s East, says Latvia’s Foreign Minister

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Official says Russia using migrant crisis to divide Europe NATO’s current presence in Europe’s east is insufficient to provide credible deterrence, must be ramped up, and include a nuclear component, said Latvia’s Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevičs. “A nuclear component should be part of the overall NATO Article 5 deterrence policy,” Rinkevičs said, noting that Russian […]

NATO Northern Europe

Bremain vs Brexit

Feb 25, 2016

Migrant Crisis, Brexit Distracting EU from Enlargement, Says Albania’s Foreign Minister

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The migrant crisis and the debate over the United Kingdom’s future in the European Union have shifted focus away from the enlargement of the bloc and this could disrupt the process of building democratic future member states, Albania’s Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati said on February 25. “Unfortunately, the migrant crisis, coupled with other crises that […]

Europe & Eurasia European Union

New Atlanticist

Feb 25, 2016

‘Sustainable Global Energy Systems’ Needed, says Norwegian Official

By Mitch Hulse

Universal access to affordable green energy is critical for meeting both global sustainable development and carbon-emission-reduction goals, Norway’s Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Tord Lien, said in Washington on February 25. In order “to eliminate extreme poverty and reduce global social inequality, we have to build sustainable global energy systems,” said Lien. He spoke at […]

Energy & Environment Northern Europe

New Atlanticist

Feb 25, 2016

These Hackers Have Your Back

By Sarah Wildi

The Food and Drug Administration has begun a push for good-faith hacking in order to anticipate and address cyber security issues, particularly in the realm of medical devices, according to a senior official in the agency. It is also trying to create incentives for manufacturers to take cyber security more seriously. “This has been very […]

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

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