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

Jan 20, 2011

Hungary’s Media Law Draws EU Protests

By James Joyner

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was greeted with protests from some EU parliamentarians when he addressed them as its rotating president of the European Council. Spiegel: Orbán began his speech to the European Parliament at 10:36 a.m. on Wednesday morning. He had hardly had time to greet the assembled deputies before being interrupted by […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Jan 20, 2011

China’s Seat At The Big Table

By James Joyner

A great line was going around Twitter last night: "The 2009 Nobel Peace Prize winner holds a State Dinner for a man who has the 2010 winner under House Arrest." And, indeed, there was some amusing irony in President Obama, the 2009 winner, hosting Chinese President Hu Jintao for a massive state dinner. Among his […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 19, 2011

America Has No Strategy

By Harlan Ullman

Despite America’s penchant for lauding its “exceptionalism,” regarding “strategic thinking,” this exceptionalism applies to getting that thinking right. Too often, we get it wrong or allow it to be absent without leave. Over the past century, our record has been poor. We won World War I yet, in the aftermath, we helped sow the seeds […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 13, 2011

Making Europe Count in the Caspian

By Borut Grgic

After a along period of political neglect the EU is finally responding to its critics by sending the President of the EU Commission, Mr. Barroso on a Caspian tour. The choice of countries is especially important – Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. Clearly, energy is at the forefront of Mr. Barroso’s agenda. European Union is expecting to […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Jan 13, 2011

An Indispensable Man

By Harlan Ullman

French President Charles DeGaulle cautioned the overly ambitious with the admonition that cemeteries are filled with the indispensable and irreplaceable. Regarding Pakistan, the good general was wrong. Punjab’s late governor, Salman Taseer, gunned down last week by a member of the provincial government’s Elite Police security unit, was as close to being indispensable to assuring […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 12, 2011

Afghanistan: Sparking a New Debate on an Old War

By James Joyner

The center-left New America Foundation has enlisted an unlikely ally, conservative tax foe Grover Norquist, to help build a coalition against the war in Afghanistan. At first blush, this would seem unnecessary. A CNN poll released January 3 found a whopping 66 percent of Americans opposed the war, with only 35 percent supporting it. And opposition is […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 12, 2011

Déjà Vu, Again

By Shuja Nawaz

We have seen this movie before, under civilian and military governments‚ and it does not have a happy ending. Pakistan again stands at a precipice. While there is much to be said for the indomitable spirit of the Pakistani people‚ our leadership appears blindfolded and unworthy‚ focused only on the short-term. In 2010‚ we […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 12, 2011

Continuing Instability in South Asia is in the Cards

By Gurmeet Kanwal

Though 2010 was relatively peaceful in South Asia – with the exception of the conflict in Afghanistan, the unstable regional security environment, India’s unresolved territorial and boundary disputes with China and Pakistan and continuing internal security challenges are a cause for concern. After West Asia, this region is perhaps the most trouble prone in the […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 11, 2011

Pakistan Futures

By Raja Menon

Pakistan’s prospects have dimmed quite alarmingly over the past year. My book, The Long View from Delhi, written early last year, built a transparent structure for arriving at the possible scenarios for countries that will decide India’s Grand Strategy of Foreign Policy in 2025. Pakistan had hugely uncertain futures, swinging from a Pakistan Shining (9% […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 11, 2011

Pakistan: Living on the Edge

By Maleeha Lodhi

Worsening political turmoil and an unraveling economy cloud prospects for Pakistan’s stability in the year ahead. When the ruling coalition led by President Asif Zardari lost the support of two key allies the country plunged into a fresh political crisis. The defections left the government well short of a parliamentary majority and struggling to avert […]

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