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.

Early Challenges for Ukraine’s Next President: Corruption and Russian-led Insurrection

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.

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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 26, 2014

Early Challenges for Ukraine’s Next President: Corruption and Russian-led Insurrection

By New Atlanticist

Ukraine’s Poroshenko ‘is His Own Think Tank,’ Confident in Making Decisions As business magnate and former foreign and economy minister Petro Poroshenko claimed victory in Ukraine’s presidential election, Atlantic Council analysts Adrian Karatnycky and Sabine Freizer offered early thoughts on his road ahead. Freizer, a senior fellow at the Council’s Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center, wrote […]

Russia Ukraine

New Atlanticist

May 26, 2014

Europe’s Election: The Roots and the Message of the Anti-EU Vote

By Stefano Stefanini

The 2014 vote for the European Parliament reflects a European Union at a critical juncture. The voter turnout, at about 43 percent, is the same as in 2009, thus halting its long decline. The traditional parties, the European People’s Party, the Social Democrats, the Liberals, will hold the largest number of seats. Outside the mainstream, […]

Elections Europe & Eurasia

Presidential candidate Petro Poroshenko (left) and Kyiv mayoral candidate Vitali Klitschko celebrate after claiming victory in the May 25 elections. Klitschko withdrew from the presidential race and allied his UDAR party (the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform) with Poroshenko’s candidacy. Both men are seen as centrists. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

New Atlanticist

May 26, 2014

Ukraine’s Voters Give a Chance to Poroshenko and Klitschko

By Damon Wilson

Businessman and Boxer Now Must Show They Can Fight Corruption and Govern Effectively Despite the Russian-led separatists’ efforts to disrupt Ukraine’s elections, Ukrainians went to the polls in large numbers and decisively elected Petro Poroshenko as president. Residents of Kyiv decisively elected Vitaliy Klitschko as mayor. These victories are significant for Ukraine’s European prospects. Specifically, […]

Russia Ukraine

New Atlanticist

May 26, 2014

A Hollow Victory for Europe’s Center Right

By Fran Burwell

‘This election … should be a wake-up call for national leaders’ of Europe The establishment parties in the European Union are patting themselves on the back, claiming they have reversed the trend toward low participation and that the main parties have retained their dominance of the European Parliament. These facts are true – but barely. […]

Elections Europe & Eurasia

Former economy and foreign minister Petro Poroshenko speaks to supporters in front of a display of exit poll results for himself and other candidates in Ukraine’s presidential election, May 25. Poroshenko claimed victory after exit polls gave him an absolute majority in the vote. REUTERS/Stringer

New Atlanticist

May 26, 2014

Ukraine’s Election is a Step Toward Normalcy; The Next Move is Russia’s

By John Herbst

If Moscow Keeps Backing Rebels in Southeast Ukraine, Kyiv Must Rely on its Army Ukraine took a major step toward normalcyand political stability with an orderly and largely peaceful vote in the May 25 presidential election. Turnout was at least adequate, despite the strenuous efforts by Russian-led insurgents in the East to disrupt the vote. […]

Russia Ukraine

New Atlanticist

May 26, 2014

European Parliament Elections Strengthen Far-Right Parties and Russia

By Damon Wilson

Despite the Headlines, the Center Holds in the EU Legislature Europe’s political establishment is reeling from the earthquake of victories by anti-European Union parties of the far right and left. These have come in the United Kingdom (UK Independence Party, or UKIP), France (Front National), Greece (Syrzia), Austria (Freedom Party) and Denmark (although the People’s […]

Economy & Business Elections

New Atlanticist

May 26, 2014

Europe’s Elections May Complicate Efforts to Confront Russia and Complete a Transatlantic Trade Pact

By Erik Brattberg

Even before the votes were counted in this election to the European Parliament, it was clear that some of the biggest winners are Euroskeptic political parties throughout the continent. Elected on their promises to stop further centralization of the European Union, to devolve power back to member states and to cut EU bureaucracy, these new […]

Economy & Business Elections

New Atlanticist

May 22, 2014

Damon Wilson: Ukraine Election Could Be ‘Significant Step Forward’

By New Atlanticist

As Ukraine prepares to elect a president May 25, it’s important to remember that the country, despite its political difficulties of recent years, has established a track record of holding credible nationwide elections, Atlantic Council Executive Vice President Damon Wilson said in a video interview. Sunday’s vote faces the particular challenges of the Russian-backed secessionist […]

Russia Ukraine

New Atlanticist

May 22, 2014

Ukraine News Roundup | May 22

By Irena Chalupa

Crimea: Putin’s War for Oil and Gas? from World Affairs Why the West Should Be Ashamed about Ukraine from The National Interest Fascism Comes to Ukraine — From Russia from Real Clear Politics Inside the 11-Story Building That’s Calling Itself the People’s Republic of Donetsk from The New Republic Ukraine’s Presidential Election: 7 Big Things […]

Ukraine

New Atlanticist

May 22, 2014

The Ukraine Crisis: Is the Worst Over?

By Rajan Menon

Since November, when Ukraine’s political turmoil reached a critical point, we’ve seen a flood tide of punditry that can be described as follows: Lots of gloom, dollops of doom. It’s time for some (cautious) optimism. For internal and external reasons, Ukraine appears to have turned the corner.

Ukraine

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