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.

Realism and Ukraine: Ukraine’s Prospects for the Long Term

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

Feb 28, 2014

Realism and Ukraine: Ukraine’s Prospects for the Long Term

By Richard Burt and Lee Feinstein

As a new “Unity Government” gets down to work in Kiev, the factors determining the political and economic trajectory of Ukraine will be determined less by a tug of war between Russia and the West than by the actions and decisions of the leadership that emerges in Ukraine. The key factors will be the ability […]

Ukraine

New Atlanticist

Feb 28, 2014

The US Must Act Quickly to Save the Internet

By Klara Tothova Jordan

Europe’s New Defenses Against NSA Spying Will Crimp Prosperity and Security Europe’s loss of trust in the United States over Edward Snowden’s revelations of massive surveillance by the National Security Agency (NSA) is now building into a wave of proposals – for new data protection rules, and for Europe-specific Internet and communications networks – that […]

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Feb 28, 2014

Troops’ Seizure of Crimea Airports Signals Russian Intervention

By James Rupert

The fight over Ukraine – whether it will align with the European Union or with Russia – took a worrisome turn last night when unidentified camouflage-uniformed troops seized two strategic airports in Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula on the Black Sea. While Russian military officials issued denials of any responsibility, Atlantic Council analysts and others say Russia […]

Ukraine

New Atlanticist

Feb 27, 2014

Would the Loss of Ukraine Harden Russia Policy on Syria?

By Barbara Slavin

Why do despots invariably have such atrocious taste? Ukrainians wandering wide-eyed through the palace outside Kyiv of fugitive Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych simultaneously marveled and gagged at the gilded furniture, stuffed dead cats and gold bathroom fixtures. But their elation at overturning their corrupt, if elected, president could fade quickly if Russia’s elected, if authoritarian, president Vladimir […]

Russia Syria

New Atlanticist

Feb 26, 2014

Let’s Give Somalia’s Government the Non-Recognition It Deserves

By J. Peter Pham

One year ago the Obama administration broke with the Somalia policy of its three predecessors by according diplomatic recognition to the government of the Federal Republic of Somalia. Last month, in his annual Worldwide Threat Assessment report to Congress, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper bemoaned that the Somali regime’s “persistent political infighting, weak leadership […]

Africa East Africa

New Atlanticist

Feb 26, 2014

Hagel’s Defense Cuts: The Least Bad Choice

By James Joyner

Defense secretary Chuck Hagel announced Monday force cuts that would leave the United States with the smallest Army it has had since 1940. While the Pentagon concedes that this comes with strategic “risks,” the biggest risk is that a future president will nonetheless commit our country to wars that require a massive ground presence.

United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Feb 25, 2014

The Pacific Century Myth?

By James Clad and Robert A. Manning

Straight-line projections may predict America’s imminent ouster as top economy – but they miss much. For some time now, it has been fashionable to say that we have begun what will be a “Pacific Century.” We have seen a flood of books of late, variations on the theme of When China Rules the World, as one put […]

Indo-Pacific United States and Canada

Congressional Relations

Feb 25, 2014

The Pentagon Is Picking an Unnecessary Fight With Congress

By James Joyner

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel previewed the president’s five-year Pentagon budget request expected to be released next week and it is a shot across the bow at Congress. The proposal thumbs its nose at sequestration budget caps, insists on another round of base closures, targets popular acquisitions programs and the National Guard and otherwise flouts the expressed […]

United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Feb 24, 2014

How US, EU Can Stabilize Ukraine

By New Atlanticist

Adrian Karatnycky: Governments Should Act to Ease Fiscal Crisis, Russia’s Hostility The US and EU governments should take early steps to help stabilize Ukraine as a disparate coalition struggles to restore government and order following the violent chaos of President Viktor Yanukovych’s ouster, says the Atlantic Council’s Adrian Karatnycky. The interim government taking office this […]

Ukraine

New Atlanticist

Feb 24, 2014

Oren on the Topic Israelis Are Talking About

Ambassador-in-Residence Michael Oren is one of the newest additions to the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security. Based in Tel Aviv, he’s able to give a front-line perspective on developments in the tumultuous region. A regular contributor to CNN.com, Ambassador Oren commented on the difference between what outsiders might think tops the morning news in […]

Israel

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