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.

Presidential Election in Burundi Underscores International Community’s Failure to Engage

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

Jul 21, 2015

Presidential Election in Burundi Underscores International Community’s Failure to Engage

By Kelsey Lilley

Residents of the small, central African nation of Burundi are voting July 21 to elect their next President. The election takes place after nearly three months of sometimes-violent protests and clashes both between rival groups and between demonstrators and Burundian police, sparked by current President Pierre Nkurunziza’s controversial third-term bid. In mid-May, an attempted coup […]

Africa East Africa

New Atlanticist

Jul 20, 2015

Georgia Needs a Shorter Path for Membership in NATO, not a MAP

By Mamuka Tsereteli

The Warsaw summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has a chance to become another milestone in the history of the organization, if the alliance chooses to take the next step forward towards further enlargement. There are several aspirant countries expecting bold decisions. Georgia is one of them. The Georgian government is taking a […]

NATO Russia

New Atlanticist

Jul 17, 2015

United States, Cuba Reopen Embassies After Fifty-Four Years. Here’s Why it Matters

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Atlantic Council analysts discuss historic opportunity presented by reopening of embassies in Washington and Havana The United States and Cuba reopened embassies in each other’s capitals July 20 taking the biggest step toward ending half a century of animosity between the two countries. US Secretary of State John F. Kerry hosted Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno […]

Cuba

New Atlanticist

Jul 17, 2015

President Buhari Comes to Washington

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Boko Haram, trade will be at the top of the agenda, says Atlantic Council’s J. Peter Pham Nigeria’s war on Boko Haram will be at the top of the agenda when US President Barack Obama meets his Nigerian counterpart Muhammadu Buhari at the White House July 20, says the Atlantic Council’s J. Peter Pham. The […]

Africa Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Jul 16, 2015

Perspective on the Iran-P5+1 Nuclear Agreement

By Owen Daniels

After twenty months of negotiations, US, European, and Iranian leaders announced early Tuesday morning that a deal had been reached to secure the peaceful future of Iran’s nuclear program.

Iran Nuclear Nonproliferation

New Atlanticist

Jul 16, 2015

Libya Needs a Little Help from its Friends

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Atlantic Council’s Karim Mezran says peace deal, even if incomplete, can succeed with strong international support Even if a Tripoli-based faction were to set aside its grievances and sign a UN-brokered peace deal that would not be enough to rescue Libya. What the North African nation needs is an international peacekeeping force with a clear […]

Libya

Europe After The Vote

Jul 15, 2015

Here’s Why the IMF Insists on Debt Restructuring for Greece

By Andrea Montanino

On June 26, just before Greece’s referendum, and on July 14, one day after the so-called agreement between the Greek government and the creditors (the International Monetary Fund, the European Union, the European Central Bank), the IMF unusually made public a short but crucial document in any negotiation over a financial aid package: the debt […]

European Union Greece

New Atlanticist

Jul 15, 2015

Defending the Iran Nuclear Deal

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Iran bound ‘in perpetuity’ not to build a nuclear bomb, says Obama administration official Iran is not permitted to build a nuclear weapon after the duration of the agreement reached in Vienna this week, nor does the deal give the Islamic Republic a “signing bonus” in terms of immediate sanctions relief, a senior Obama administration […]

Iran National Security

New Atlanticist

Jul 15, 2015

The Iran nuclear deal is not in the US national interest

By Matthew Kroenig

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed July 14 between Iran and the P5+1 puts verifiable limits on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Assuming Tehran abides by the terms of the accord, Iran will not be able to build nuclear weapons for the lifetime of the deal, but the agreement presents […]

Iran National Security

New Atlanticist

Jul 14, 2015

Assessing the Iran Deal

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Nuclear agreement will have ‘strategic cost’ for US alliances in the Middle East, says Retired Adm. Stavridis The nuclear deal reached July 14 that limits Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief will have a significant impact on the United States’ alliances in the Middle East, says retired Adm. James Stavridis, a former NATO […]

Greece Iran

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