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.

Leading Through Civilian Power When Military Power Gets Funded

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

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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 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.

New Atlanticist

Jan 26, 2011

Why I’m At Davos

By Frederick Kempe

Dateline Davos — The World Economic Forum’s annual meeting is as good a place as any to restart blogging, which I had abandoned four years ago when I left the Wall Street Journal and my "Thinking Global" column to become president and CEO of the Atlantic Council. Davos tries to capture the Zeitgeist each year […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 25, 2011

Enduring Geopolitics: Russia’s 2008 Attack in Historical Perspective

By David Smith

Ninety-one years ago this week, the British cabinet rejected a comprehensive plan to rally an anti-Bolshevik coalition, support White Russian forces, control the Baku-Batumi corridor and the Caspian Sea and, from that position of strength, negotiate with the nascent Soviet government. The geopolitical effect of this decision was cession of the Eurasian heartland to the […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 25, 2011

Atlantic Update 1/25/11

By James Joyner

Each weekday, Atlantic Update will highlight top news stories and columns vital to understanding the transatlantic space.

New Atlanticist

Jan 24, 2011

Moscow Airport Terrorist Attack Kills 35

By James Joyner

As many as 35 are dead and 130 wounded after an explosion at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport. Terrorism is the working assumption.

New Atlanticist

Jan 24, 2011

Exploring ‘Turkishness’: women’s rights, entrepreneurship and ethno-religious identity

By Zeynep Dereli

The modern Turkish Republic was founded as a secular democracy. As we are approaching the centennial of the founding of the Republic we can see how far we’ve come and how far we have yet to go. We still face significant issues regarding human rights, particularly in relation to minorities and women. Turkey still struggles […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 24, 2011

Who Will Play the Lead in Eurasia’s Pipeline Opera?

By Alexandros Petersen

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso was in Turkmenistan last week negotiating ways the Caspian country’s vast natural gas reserves might ameliorate European dependence on Russian resources through the so-called Southern Energy Corridor. Coming on the heels of a successful agreement inked in Baku to bring Azerbaijani gas to the European Union, Barroso’s meeting in […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Jan 21, 2011

Is China Trying to Divide U.S. and Europe?

By Banning Garrett

Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks with President Barack Obama this week on the heels of Vice Premier Li Keqiang’s charm offensive in Europe early this month. Li, the presumptive future premier, made deals to purchase European government bonds, buy European goods and invest in European countries. Should the United States — and Europe — […]

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