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.

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

Oct 25, 2011

Azerbaijan’s Gas Gambit

By Borut Grgic

After splitting from the Soviet Union to chart its own path, Azerbaijan’s journey to present day energy pivot is sprinkled with moments of extreme humanitarian suffering, war, loss of territory, diplomatic uncertainty, and massive advancements in the energy sector. A recent discovery at the Absherone offshore field has elevated the estimated total amount of proven […]

Energy & Environment

New Atlanticist

Oct 24, 2011

Iraq: A Trillion Dollars Worth of Nothing

By Sarwar Kashmeri

For many Americans, news that the nearly 9-year-old war in Iraq is finally over will evoke feelings of relief but also revulsion. Relief, for the families of the military women and men that are coming home. And revulsion, for the officials and politicians that lacked the courage to prevent this unnecessary war. For me personally, […]

Iraq

New Atlanticist

Oct 24, 2011

As 2012 Polls Loom, Caution’s the Word for Obama Foreign Policy

By Barbara Slavin

U.S. presidents seeking a second term are not known for taking risks in foreign policy in election years. Ronald Reagan quickly withdrew U.S. troops from Lebanon in 1983, a year before he sought re-election, after the U.S. forces there became the target of bombings by Shiite militants. George W. Bush launched the war in Iraq […]

New Atlanticist

Oct 24, 2011

Vladimir, Fear the Arab Spring’s Message

By Anna Borshchevskaya

The protests sweeping the Middle East have revolved around economics and accountability. After decades of corrupt and stagnant rule, Tunisians, Egyptians, Libyans and Syrians found themselves impoverished and no longer willing to acquiesce to dictatorship. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s announcement last month that he would seek a third presidential term raises the possibility that […]

Russia

New Atlanticist

Oct 21, 2011

Taking Government Back

By Shuja Nawaz

The perhaps incorrectly-named Occupy Wall Street movement in the United States appears to be gaining momentum, and even gaining traction overseas. I say “incorrectly-named” since conversations with the protesters indicate that they wish to take back power from the current representatives of government and not just take over Wall Street. The movement contains a congeries […]

New Atlanticist

Oct 21, 2011

A Smart EU Reponse to Yanukovych

By Borut Grgic

The turmoil that has gripped European-Ukrainian relations following the sentencing of Yulia Tymoshenko risks jeopardizing an important strategic relationship, and both sides stand to lose big from this fallout. Whether or not Tymoshenko, Ukraine’s former prime minister, is guilty, was given a fair trial or should be punished for her commercial interests and dealings while […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Oct 21, 2011

Belarus Is Heading to Default

By Anders Aslund

Belarus is heading to default. This country of 10 million people is running out of international currency reserves. Officially, they were down to $2.2 billion on October 1, which is a month’s worth of imports. But when reserves are so small the question always arises whether they are really usable. Meanwhile inflation surged and it […]

Belarus Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Oct 20, 2011

Post-Gaddafi Era Made Permanent

By James Joyner

Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi was killed earlier today marking, as President Obama put it, “the end of a long, painful period for the Libyan people.” His death raises several interesting questions.

Libya

New Atlanticist

Oct 20, 2011

Calculating the Costs of War

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

Leon E. Panetta’s first major address as defense secretary was clearly designed to be magisterial, the credo of the Free World, still headed by the United States, cognizant of its worldwide responsibilities, albeit with much budgetary belt-tightening. He didn’t mention the two wasteful wars that had little to do with defending Western civilization.

New Atlanticist

Oct 20, 2011

A Kingdom for a Strategy

By Harlan Ullman

Strategy and weather share a common limitation: People constantly talk about both yet, in today’s environment, little can be done to affect either. Above all, strategy is about setting achievable and understandable aims. Sadly, politics and process have made that impossible today. A bitterly divided Congress and the failure of the Obama administration through substituting […]

United States and Canada

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