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

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New Atlanticist

May 10, 2010

Trillion Dollar Bet on the Euro

By James Joyner

The Economist‘s Charlemagne sums it up with characteristic pith: "At two in the morning on May 10th, European Union finance ministers agreed a huge increase in their political will to defend Europe’s single currency, backed by a stunning €750 billion in aid for weak links in the 16 member eurozone. Simultaneously, the European Central Bank […]

New Atlanticist

May 10, 2010

End of Ukraine and Future of Eurasia

By Alexander Motyl

For the first time in 20 years, Ukraine’s disappearance as a state is imaginable. Since Ukraine is a pivotal state of great geopolitical significance to the stability of both Europe and Asia, its collapse could have considerable geopolitical consequences.

Europe & Eurasia NATO

New Atlanticist

May 7, 2010

Britain 2010 and America 2000

By James Joyner

Like the 2000 American presidential elections, the results of the 2010 parliamentary elections are drawing some attention to some oddities in the system and bringing calls for reform. Most likely, the Brits will follow the lead of their American cousins and make no significant changes. Britain’s hung parliament, the first since 1974, is the result […]

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

May 7, 2010

Britain’s Hung Parliament: What Now?

By James Joyner

As expected, yesterday’s UK elections resulted in a hung parliament, with the Tories falling short of an outright majority needed to form a government on their own. While Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats wound up in distant third, they’re now in the driver’s seat. Conservative leader David Cameron has reached out to Clegg to […]

New Atlanticist

May 7, 2010

Fiscal WMD

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

Even the world’s most savvy stock market giants (e.g., Warren E. Buffett) have warned over the past decade that derivatives are the fiscal equivalent of a weapon of mass destruction, potentially lethal, and the consequences of such an explosion would make the recent global financial and economic crisis seem like penny ante. But generously lubricated […]

New Atlanticist

May 6, 2010

Greek Meltdown Sends Dow Plunging

By James Joyner

It has long been an axiom that, "When America sneezes, the world catches a cold." But, in the era of globalization, it works both ways. AP business writer Tim Paradis: Stocks plunged Thursday as investors succumbed to fears that Greece’s debt problems would halt the global economic recovery. The Dow Jones industrials slid almost 1,000 […]

New Atlanticist

May 5, 2010

World Needs Strong, Independent Britain — And the Special Relationship

By Kurt Volker

It has become disturbingly fashionable to vow that Britain must not “slavishly follow America.” David Cameron has said it. Nick Clegg has said it. And I agree. Nor should Britain “slavishly follow” Luxembourg. Or Burma. Or even the Galapagos Islands, green as they may be. These latter examples are, of course, throw-aways. It is the […]

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

May 5, 2010

Tough Choices Make for Bad Governance

By Harlan Ullman

Well over a century ago, Karl Marx announced that a specter of communism was haunting Europe. Tragically, he was correct as 70 years of Bolshevism proved. Today, another specter is haunting the world with possibly a greater vengeance.

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

May 4, 2010

Greek Bailout Greeted with Rioting and Skepticism

By James Joyner

The EU and IMF — but not Germany and France — have agreed on a €110bn bailout for Greece and the Papaconstantinou government has admitted to "mistakes" and announced its "absolute determination to tackle this and, secondly, to get out of the recession earlier." But while the parliament is debating the austerity measures, analysts are saying […]

New Atlanticist

May 4, 2010

Gulf Oil Disaster and America’s Energy Future

By Robert Manning

It wasn’t supposed to happen. Oil rigs have devices known as blowout preventers that are supposed to stop the oil flows when incidents like the explosion occur. No less disconcerting, it is still not clear why the device did not activate to prevent what appears to be a growing environmental disaster.

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