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.

Ashraf Ghani: UN Should Get Out of Afghanistan

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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New Atlanticist

Nov 20, 2010

Ashraf Ghani: UN Should Get Out of Afghanistan

By Mark Leon Goldberg

A top advisor to president Hamid Karzai stridently criticized the United Nations Mission in Afghaintan (UNAMA) in a panel discussion I moderated yesterday afternoon on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Lisbon. Dr. Ashraf Ghani is the chairman of a commission on transition, responsible for overseeing the transfer of responsibilities to Afghans from the […]

International Organizations
Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Nov 19, 2010

NATO Summit Reaction, Day 1

By Jeffrey Lightfoot

Today in Lisbon, Alliance leaders met to approve a new Strategic Concept that reconfirms NATO’s purpose to safeguard members’ freedom and security and modernizes the Alliance to face new threats, with new capabilities and new partners. Atlantic Council team members offer their expert insights and analysis on the outcomes of the summit. Visit our online […]

New Atlanticist

Nov 19, 2010

NATO: New Strategic Concept, Same Old Alliance

By James Joyner

The long awaited new strategic concept, launching what has been termed "NATO 3.0," has been published under the banner "Active Engagement, Modern Defense." The document is ambitious, committing the "Alliance to prevent crises, manage conflicts and stabilize post-conflict situations, including by working more closely with our international partners, most importantly the United Nations and the […]

New Atlanticist

Nov 19, 2010

NATO’s Top Challenges

By Damon Wilson and Jeffrey Lightfoot

As Alliance leaders gather in Lisbon, they must be able to address these top challenges in order to declare Lisbon a success: Transition in Afghanistan: Will NATO project a united front on transition of the ISAF mission to Afghan security forces, or will the Allies appear to be rushing for the exits under political pressure […]

Cybersecurity
Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Nov 19, 2010

Transatlantic Zero Should be Front and Center at US-EU Summit

By Peter S. Rashish

With leaders from the U.S. and EU gathering for a bilateral summit meeting in Lisbon this weekend, there is a need for a headline-grabbing initiative that can help the under-performing transatlantic relationship live up to its potential. Eliminating tariffs on trade across the Atlantic – “Transatlantic Zero” – can do just that, and should be […]

New Atlanticist

Nov 19, 2010

NATO’s Defense Budgets 2011

By Simona Kordosova

As NATO leaders meet in Lisbon, their responsibility includes charting the Alliance’s course in an age of austerity. The fiscal crisis that swept across both sides of the Atlantic put enormous pressure on defense budgets. As NATO leaders approve a new Strategic Concept and commit to strengthen capabilities to guard against a new array of […]

NATO
Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Nov 19, 2010

The G-20 Challenge and its Implications on NATO

By Jason Harmala

In the latest installment of the New Atlanticist Podcast Series Atlantic Council senior fellow Sarwar Kashmeri interviews George Magnus, Chief Economist of UBS Investment Bank. Magnus discusses the challenges of accommodating the separate economic agendas of the G-20 member countries and the possible implications on NATO’s thoughts about reaching out to the fast growing Asian […]

New Atlanticist

Nov 19, 2010

Getting Natural Gas to the Balkans

By Borut Grgic

Following years of conflict, international isolation and slow growth, the Balkan countries are on an economic revival track, with GDP growth hovering around 5 percent. Sure, the numbers are more impressive in China, India, Brazil and Turkey, but when compared to the rest of Europe, the Balkan economies are doing great. That is the good […]

European Union
International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Nov 18, 2010

A Plan to Blunt the Impact on NATO of European Defence Cuts

By Hans Binnendijk and Richard Kugler

Austerity budgets in Europe will mean that key NATO members are going to cut their defence costs in ways that could damage the alliance’s military preparedness. Britain’s defence cuts could total as much as 20% by 2014-2015, and Germany and France plan to reduce their defence budgets by about 6% through 2013, and their forces […]

New Atlanticist

Nov 18, 2010

Breaking the Security Cooperation Logjam Between Russia and the West

By Tomáš Karásek and Jakub Kulhanek

NATO is gearing up to meet in Lisbon to sign off on its new strategic doctrine and Russia is in the spotlights again with a new offer of partnership with the Alliance in the pipelines. Yet, despite vague proclamations the current rapprochement on security matters lacks any solid foundation on which the West and Russia […]

European Union
International Organizations

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