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.

Time to Let Macedonia Play with the Big Boys

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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New Atlanticist

Nov 30, 2011

Time to Let Macedonia Play with the Big Boys

By Metodija A. Koloski and Mark Branov

Rarely has a country’s standing in the community of nations collapsed as quickly as that of Greece.

Economy & Business European Union

New Atlanticist

Nov 29, 2011

The Role of the West in a Libyan Trial of Saif al-Islam Qaddafi

By Yuvaraj Sivalingam

The international community played a critical role in aiding the Libyan rebel campaign that ultimately led to the ouster and death of Muammar Qaddafi. Now, the international community may yet play another crucial role as Libya attempts to demonstrate its ability to prosecute prominent members of the former regime in a manner that upholds international standards […]

Libya

New Atlanticist

Nov 29, 2011

As America Pivots to Asia, Where’s Europe?

By Kurt Volker

As America turns its attention to Asia, how should the relationship between the US and Europe develop? Both sides can work to bridge the gap.

Economy & Business European Union

New Atlanticist

Nov 28, 2011

Does Germany Really Want to Save the Euro?

By Julian Lindley-French

Does Germany really want to save the Euro? The great Austrian strategist Count Metternich once famously said that when Paris sneezes, Europe catches cold. Today, he would probably substitute Berlin for Paris.

Economy & Business European Union

New Atlanticist

Nov 28, 2011

Democratic Congo’s Troubling Election

By Peter Pham

On Monday, November 28, millions of Congolese will go to the polls to elect a president and the members of its National Assembly. Sadly, at least with respect to the presidential race, there are worrisome indications—the country’s rather ironic official title as “the Democratic Republic of the Congo” (DRC) notwithstanding—that today’s vote will be little […]

New Atlanticist

Nov 24, 2011

Eurozone Crisis Hits Germany

By James Joyner

“The debt crisis is burrowing ever deeper, like a worm, and is now reaching Germany,” says Free Democrat Party backbencher Frank Schaeffler, a member of Angela Merkel’s governing coalition. Indeed, the country that all are looking to to save the Eurozone from collapse is now in big trouble. Germany fell short in its attempt to sell […]

Economy & Business European Union

New Atlanticist

Nov 23, 2011

Russia’s Red Alert

By James Joyner

Russian President Dimitry Medvedev announced today that he would “immediately put the missile attack early warning radar station in Kaliningrad on combat alert” and take other aggressive steps to counter NATO’s missile defense system. In an official statement reprinted on NATOSource, Medvedev claims this step was taken after NATO and the United States rebuffed repeated gestures from […]

Missile Defense NATO

New Atlanticist

Nov 23, 2011

Russian Stereotypes: A Flawed Analysis Resulting in Inadequate Policy Choices

By Isabelle Francois and Brett Swaney

The relationship between Russia and NATO is in dire need of radical rethinking. In the past two decades, the evolving security environment has provided opportunities for NATO and Russia to establish new levels of cooperation but diverging perceptions continue to cause the relationship to stagnate. For the better part of the last decade, Western analysts […]

NATO Russia

New Atlanticist

Nov 23, 2011

Arab Spring is a Contradiction in Terms

By Harlan Ullman

Just an hour’s sail from Gibraltar to the north and 3 1/2 hours by car from Casablanca to the west, immortalized in the movie of the same name, Tangier, a city of 3 million has hosted for the past four years, a conference called “MEDays” sponsored by the Amadeus Institute, a Moroccan think tank dedicated […]

New Atlanticist

Nov 22, 2011

Germany’s Military Reform: An American Perspective

By Peter Flory

In the May 2011 German Defense Policy Guidelines (DPG), Germany sets as its goal a force that is capable of “[s]afe guarding national interests, assuming international responsibility, and shaping security together.” As an American, I would ask no more and no less from our German ally.

Germany

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