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
Sep 4, 2025

Dispatches from Damascus: The state of Syria’s postwar transition nine months after Assad’s fall

On a recent trip to the Syrian capital, Atlantic Council experts took note of how far the country has come since the Assad regime’s fall and what still needs to happen to secure peace and prosperity.

New Atlanticist
Aug 29, 2025

Twenty questions (and expert answers) about the negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine

By
Atlantic Council experts

August saw a flurry of diplomatic activity to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As September nears, Atlantic Council experts share their insights on what to expect next.

Conflict
Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

New Atlanticist
Aug 28, 2025

Germany wants to double its defense spending. Where should the money go?

By
Atlantic Council experts

After decades of Berlin underinvesting in its defense, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has plans to transform the Bundeswehr into Europe’s strongest military.

Defense Policy
Europe & Eurasia

Stay updated

Explore our unique analysis

Fast Thinking

When major global news breaks, the Atlantic Council’s experts have you covered—delivering their sharpest rapid insight and forward-looking analysis direct to your inbox.

Experts React

Dive deep into developing stories, guided by continually updated expert analysis that leaves you better informed about the most pressing global issues behind the headlines.

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 28, 2011

Atlantic Update 1/28/11

By Jason Harmala

NATO and Russia discuss terrorism and missile defense, German and Dutch parliaments renew Afghanistan commitments, and discussion of the Euro takes center stage at Davos.

New Atlanticist

Jan 28, 2011

Ukraine’s Democracy Woes in Perspective

By Adrian Karatnycky

Recent weeks have seen a proliferation of statements attesting to growing international concern about the erosion of democratic freedoms in Ukraine. Those issuing them are missing the big picture.

Ukraine

New Atlanticist

Jan 28, 2011

Time to Think, Not Spend, Our Way Out of Danger

By Harlan Ullman

The traditional U.S. solution to military threats has generally been to spend rather than think our way clear of danger. With the wind down of the wars in Iraq and hopefully Afghanistan and the state of the economy with debts and deficits that seem endless, U.S. defense budgets will and must decline, probably dramatically. In […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 28, 2011

Tweeting Davos

By Frederick Kempe

Atlantic Council president and CEO Fred Kempe has been attending the World Economic Forum meetings in Davos. In addition to his blog posts, he’s been sharing his thoughts via his Twitter account.

New Atlanticist

Jan 27, 2011

Atlantic Update 1/27/11

By Jason Harmala

The EU reinstates its visa ban on Belarusian President Lukashenko’s regime, Belgium’s political crisis deepens, and Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi faces increased pressure to resign in the face of new scandal details.

New Atlanticist

Jan 27, 2011

Soros: Two-Speed Europe Could Disintegrate

By James Joyner

As with the late E.F. Hutton, when George Soros speaks, people listen. Especially when he predicts the disintegration of the world’s largest economy. Speaking with BBC from the World Economic Forum in Davos, the billionaire currency trader and philanthropist proclaimed that "The Euro crisis is on the way [to] being solved," thanks to the creation of what […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 27, 2011

Davos Dialog: China, Children, and Creativity

By Frederick Kempe

One of the charms of the World Economic Forum in Davos is the unexpected, memorable encounter – a meeting of formidable individuals so different they would be unlikely to meet elsewhere. Such was this evening’s dinner exchange between Amy Chua, the best-selling author of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, and Larry Summers, the former Treasury […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 26, 2011

Leading Through Civilian Power When Military Power Gets Funded

By James Joyner

State Department Policy Planning Director Anne-Marie Slaughter argues that the United States much fundamentally restructure its foreign policy making apparatus in order to effectively engage the challenges of the 21st century.

New Atlanticist

Jan 26, 2011

Why Medvedev is at Davos

By Frederick Kempe

Dateline Davos – The security around this Alpine village has been even tighter than usual in anticipation of its opening, keynote speaker this evening, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Many of us were surprised that Medvedev kept his Davos date, despite this week’s terrorist attack. After a moment of silence, in which all paid respect to […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 26, 2011

Atlantic Update 1/26/11

By Jason Harmala

Russia ratifies new START treaty, Ireland votes on its finance bill, and the fallout from Monday’s Moscow airport attack.

Share

Issue briefs and reports