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

Nov 10, 2015

Renegotiate TPP? Fuggedaboutit

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Obama administration rules out reopening trade deal with eleven Pacific Rim nations The Obama administration will not renegotiate a trade deal it spent more than five years negotiating with eleven other Pacific Rim countries, a White House official said on Nov. 10. “Renegotiation is just not an option because if you open up the issues, […]

Economy & Business Trade and tariffs

New Atlanticist

Nov 9, 2015

In Bangladesh, Radical Islam on the Rise as ‘Battling Begums’ Feud

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Faysal Arefin was stabbed to death in his second-floor office in a crowded Dhaka neighborhood on Oct. 31. His crime: Publishing books by Avijit Roy, a Bangladeshi-American blogger and strident opponent of religious extremism. Arefin is not the first to meet such a gruesome end. On Feb. 26, machete-wielding men fatally attacked Roy as he […]

South Asia

New Atlanticist

Nov 6, 2015

Russia Bombing Syrians Displaced by War, Says Syrian Activist

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Russian warplanes have bombed not just moderate rebel groups, but also critical civilian infrastructure and people fleeing the war in Syria, a prominent Syrian civil society activist said at the Atlantic Council on Nov. 6. “Russia claims that they are fighting against [the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham] … but ISIS is 100 kilometers […]

Syria

New Atlanticist

Nov 5, 2015

Stormy Weather Ahead for Global Society Due to Climate Change, Experts Say

By Alejandro Alvarez

Climate change poses a monumental threat to national security, American prosperity, and global society, a panel of national security and insurance advisers agreed at the Atlantic Council on Nov. 5. The panel discussion featured Judge Alice Hill, Senior Director for Resilience Policy at the National Security Council; Sherri Goodman, President and CEO of the Consortium […]

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment

New Atlanticist

Nov 5, 2015

Transatlantic Relationship ‘Not an Optional Alliance,’ Says German President

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Joachim Gauck calls for greater US engagement with Europe On a recent visit to the United States, German President Joachim Gauck delivered an impassioned plea for the revitalization of the transatlantic relationship, describing it as “not an optional alliance,” but rather an “essential strategic alliance.” He also called for far greater US engagement with Europe […]

Germany

New Atlanticist

Nov 5, 2015

The Transatlantic Internet: A New Geo-Economic Frontline

By Tyson Barker

For almost a generation, the US-EU Safe Harbor agreement has been the transatlantic digital passport that allowed 4,400 US tech companies to provide services to Europe’s 500 million consumers. But an Oct. 6 decision by the European Court of Justice — the EU’s Supreme Court — smashed that little-known, but extremely important fifteen-year-old agreement and […]

Europe & Eurasia European Union

New Atlanticist

Nov 4, 2015

‘Please Be Patient’

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Leader of Tunisia’s Nobel-winning labor union says international pressure on his country to undertake reforms is unhelpful The international community must be patient and recognize that Tunisia is undergoing a delicate transition instead of applying unrealistic pressure on the North African nation to undertake reforms, Hussein Abassi, the leader of Tunisia’s powerful labor union and […]

North Africa

New Atlanticist

Nov 3, 2015

Why didn’t the GCC publicly oppose the Iran deal?

By Matthew Kroenig

If the Arab Gulf states are opposed to the Iran nuclear deal, why didn’t they publicly speak out against it? This was perhaps the most interesting and contentious point of discussion on the first day of the second annual Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate on November 1. Make no mistake; the lack of public opposition is […]

Iran Nuclear Nonproliferation

New Atlanticist

Nov 3, 2015

Common Ground Between Russia, Iran, and the Arab States

By Faysal Itani

I attended the Emirates Policy Center’s second Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate on Nov. 1. The event brought together policymakers, former officials, academics, and analysts from the Middle East and elsewhere. The content covered a range of geographies and themes, but the debates that centered on the Syrian conflict and the roles of Iran, Russia, the […]

New Atlanticist

Nov 2, 2015

An Opportunity for Peace in Turkey

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Victory of President Erdoğan’s party presents an opportunity to restart peace talks with Kurdish terrorists, says Atlantic Council’s Aaron Stein The victory of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the Nov. 1 election has created an opportunity to restart peace talks with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorists, said the Atlantic Council’s Aaron […]

Turkey

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