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.

Economic, Not Security Strategy, Key for Stability in South China Sea

New Atlanticist
Mar 6, 2025

How European leaders are responding to Trump’s approach to Ukraine and Europe

From London and Berlin to Paris and Brussels, European leaders have taken several notable steps this week on security. This follows the blow-up between the Ukrainian and US presidents on February 28.

New Atlanticist
Feb 26, 2025

Why the US should not lift sanctions against Russia

By
Charles Lichfield

Sanctions are having an unmistakable effect, albeit below the inflated expectations of many in the West in early 2022. Lifting them now would be a mistake.

Conflict
Economic Sanctions

New Atlanticist
Mar 5, 2025

The Egyptian plan for postwar Gaza is a good starting point—but it needs changes

By
Thomas S. Warrick

While many obstacles remain, the Egyptian proposal could form the starting point for negotiations over a workable plan for postwar Gaza.

Conflict
Crisis Management

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Markup

Our experts decipher and annotate major speeches and policy documents to break down big ideas and lay them out in plain language.

New Atlanticist

Jan 8, 2013

Economic, Not Security Strategy, Key for Stability in South China Sea

By Philip Haxel

For all of its economic dynamism, the regional stability of the Asia-Pacific is increasingly threatened by conflicting claims over small rocks and archipelagos in the South China Sea. However trivial these disputes may appear, a breakout into physical conflict would have massive ramifications for the US economy, as each year 1.2 trillion dollars in US […]

Economy & Business Maritime Security

New Atlanticist

Jan 8, 2013

Saving Syria from Assad

By Julian Lindley-French

Syrian President Assad left little grounds for optimism in his 6 January ‘peace’ initiative. Clearly there can now be no peace with Assad but what will it take to get rid of him and what would happen if he went?

National Security Security & Defense

Chuck Hagel: A Defense Secretary Who Knows Price of War

New Atlanticist

Jan 7, 2013

Chuck Hagel: A Defense Secretary Who Knows Price of War

By James Joyner

President Obama has just announced the nomination of Senator Chuck Hagel, the chairman of the Atlantic Council, to be the 24th Secretary of Defense. ATLANTIC COUNCIL PRESS RELEASE on Hagel’s nomination Full transcript of President Obama’s remarks If Hagel survives the nomination fight in the Senate—and I believe he will—he’ll be the second consecutive […]

National Security Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Jan 4, 2013

Countdown to Armageddon

By Harlan Ullman

10, 9, 8, 7 …… refers to a countdown. The larger question is count down to what?

Economy & Business National Security

New Atlanticist

Jan 3, 2013

Russia’s Ban on Adoptions a Sign that “Reset” Has Reached its Limits

By Anna Borshchevskaya

On December 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a bill banning U.S. citizens from adopting Russian children.

Russia

New Atlanticist

Jan 2, 2013

Time for Strategic Learning

By Harlan Ullman

British Field Marshall Viscount Alanbrooke of Brookebrorough, one of World War II’s most accomplished and distinguished generals, regularly complained about the lack of American strategic thinking. In Alanbrooke’s view (and Churchill’s too) Washington was too anxious to open a second front the continent and woefully unprepared to face the superior Nazi Army in battle. Hence, […]

National Security Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Jan 2, 2013

Japan’s Coming Challenges: What Awaits Shinzo Abe

By Rajan Menon

Shinzo Abe became prime minister of Japan—its seventh in six years —after his Liberal Democratic Party, which has governed Japan for all but four years since 1955, won parliamentary elections resoundingly, ending a three-year interlude by the Democratic Party of Japan.

Economy & Business Japan

New Atlanticist

Jan 1, 2013

Cliff Politics

By Julian Lindley-French

First century Roman senator and historian Tacitus railing against the greed of imperial Rome said, “To ravage, to slaughter, to usurp under false titles, they call empire; and where they make a desert, they call it peace”.

New Atlanticist

Dec 27, 2012

Going Over the Decency Cliff

By Harlan Ullman

The looming fiscal cliff has received almost as much publicity as the Mayan prediction of the end of the world. This column has warned that the nation also faces a strategic cliff that could pose even greater jeopardy than from the fiscal woes. But there is a third and possibly more precipitous cliff.

United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Dec 27, 2012

Much EU About Nothing?

By Julian Lindley-French

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has something of the night about him. With the Germans about to lead the seventeen Eurozone countries into the greatest political leap in the dark since the creation of the European Union, Schaeuble has suggested that the British people be denied a referendum on their future relationship with a future German-led EU.

European Union International Organizations

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