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.

The European Onion and the End of the Euro-Republic?

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

Jun 20, 2011

The European Onion and the End of the Euro-Republic?

By Julian Lindley-French

Sallust wrote, “Only a few prefer liberty – the majority seek nothing more than fair masters." What does the Euro crisis say about the state of Europe and the European Onion? I am back in Rome – the Eternal City, writing your blog from a perch on the Aventine Hill. Rome and the Tiber flow […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Jun 20, 2011

Atlantic Update 6/20/2011

By HuiHui Ooi

The Czech Republic announced a surprise exit from the U.S.-backed European missile shield proposal last week. Greece fights to handle its internal chaos as its people are protesting against stricter austerity measures whereas the Eurozone financial ministers are pressuring Greece to approve these measures before they decide on the second Greek loan. In order to […]

New Atlanticist

Jun 17, 2011

The Gates Speech Aftermath

By Nikolas Gvosdev

The “farewell address” delivered by outgoing Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to the North Atlantic Alliance last Friday was a stark warning that “business as usual” cannot continue much longer.

New Atlanticist

Jun 17, 2011

Could a Turkish Buffer Enable a New Syria?

By Anna Borshchevskaya

Almost 10,000 Syrian refugees have entered Turkey over the last several days, as the Syrian government escalates its crackdown on protesters. While this is a large number, the Turkish daily Posta suggests Ankara fears much worse—that a civil war in Syria could flood Turkey with 200,000 more refugees. During a recent summit in Ankara, Turkish […]

New Atlanticist

Jun 17, 2011

Greece’s Foreign Policy Options and the Fiscal Crisis

By Marios Efthymiopoulos

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has dissolved his government in the wake of 21 days of nationwide protests. The government failed to hold a parliamentary vote that was due on Wednesday morning on the agreement for a new EU deal for another loan and an extension on the payment of the current IMF and EU […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Jun 16, 2011

Kissinger Offers Mixed Reviews of Obama China Policy

By James Joyner

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger wonders whether something like the opening to China he and President Nixon undertook would be possible today. He believes that the U.S. government is "too complex" these days, with "too many urgent things" forcing a focus on the everyday and preventing bold, strategic moves. Furthermore, even if a strategic […]

New Atlanticist

Jun 16, 2011

Soft Power Disarmament Will All End in Tiers

By Julian Lindley-French

Leiden. The Netherlands, 16 June. America’s greatest thinker, Groucho Marks, once famously said that military intelligence is a contradiction in terms. One might say the same about European strategic intelligence. I have now just about read every single European security and defence strategy available and they all share a profound similarity. The joke goes something […]

New Atlanticist

Jun 16, 2011

Increasing U.S. Power in an Age of Economic Decline

By Bart Szewczyk

The Great Recession has appropriately focused America’s attention on its expected long-term economic decline relative to rising economies such as China, India, and Brazil. However, commentators have misconstrued this trend as necessarily implying a decrease in aggregate U.S. power without exploring potential strategic readjustments.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Jun 15, 2011

NATO Defense Ministers Send Mixed Signals

By Jorge Benitez

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates’ provocative speech in Brussels attracted widespread media attention, but several important decisions were made during the two-day NATO defense ministers meetings which will have a more immediate impact on the future of the alliance. The most prominent of these issues is NATO reform. Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen declared that agreements […]

New Atlanticist

Jun 15, 2011

Three Deadly Flaws

By Harlan Ullman

U.S. President Barack Obama is putting in place a new national security team from the Pentagon to the CIA. The new team will have to respond to what everyone knows will be “tough choices,” made tougher by budget cuts likely to be a lot bigger than people think. But, unless fixed, three deadly flaws make […]

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