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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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.

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Our experts decipher and annotate major speeches and policy documents to break down big ideas and lay them out in plain language.

New Atlanticist

Apr 14, 2010

Nuclear Spring?

By Harlan Ullman

This has been another extraordinary week for U.S. President Barack Obama.

New Atlanticist

Apr 13, 2010

Poland: Hope From Tragedy?

By James Joyner

They say every cloud has a silver lining. The tragic plane crash that took the lives of so many of Poland’s finest over the weekend may be a case in point, providing an opportunity to heal wounds old and new. President Obama has announced that he will attend the funeral. The White House said today […]

New Atlanticist

Apr 13, 2010

Obama Snubs Saakashvili: What Does It Mean?

By Giorgi Kvelashvili

President Barack Obama is currently hosting the Nuclear Security Summit and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili is among the participants. While there was speculation that the two presidents would have a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit, Obama decided on a pre-conference telephone call instead.

New Atlanticist

Apr 13, 2010

Ukraine’s Energy Reform Opportunity

By Alexandros Petersen

The 2010 Ukrainian elections have been consigned to history books. The election season and the winter passed without a major Ukrainian natural gas crisis, and a major gas cutoff, such as occurred in 2009, was avoided

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Apr 12, 2010

Merkel’s Greek Dilemma

By Edward Hugh

Angela Merkel is a Chemist. In her doctoral thesis, she demonstrated herself to be a thoroughgoing expert when it comes to analysing the speed of disintegration of chemical compounds once the bonds which hold them together are weakened. Unfortunately she is now having to apply all this acquired expertise and know-how in a determined attempt […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Apr 12, 2010

Armchair Warriors

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

It is becoming increasingly difficult to sort fact from fiction between legacy media and the new media of libel-proof blogs sans editors. Blogmocracy is a time-consuming exercise in democracy. Media-watchers say to be well informed and up to speed one must scan at least 100 blogs. Also "Wikileaks," a Web-based investigative journalism outfit that recently […]

New Atlanticist

Apr 12, 2010

Arnold Kanter, Statesmen and Atlantic Council Board Member, Dies at 65

By The Editors

We have the sad news that Arnold Kanter, an American statesman, public servant, and Atlanticist died over the weekend. This is truly a great loss to the Atlantic Council and the transatlantic community.

New Atlanticist

Apr 10, 2010

Polish President Lech Kaczynski Dies in Plane Crash

By The Editors

Polish President Lech Kaczynski was killed along with his wife and several senior government and military leaders in a plane crash just hours ago. This is a tremendous tragedy for the people of Poland and the entire transatlantic community.

New Atlanticist

Apr 9, 2010

U.S. and India One Step Closer to Civil Nuclear Deal

By Ronak Desai

Washington and New Delhi last week announced the successful completion of a nuclear agreement granting India rights to reprocess nuclear fuel imported from the United States, moving the two countries one step closer to implementing a historic civilian nuclear deal that has become the centerpiece of the widely touted US-India “strategic partnership.”

New Atlanticist

Apr 9, 2010

Kyrgyzstan’s New Chance for Democracy

By Borut Grgic

In 2005, Askar Akayev, the then-President of Kyrgyzstan, was deposed and fled from the capital, Bishkek, to Moscow to save his life and the millions of dollars he allegedly stole from the country during his presidency. The driver of change was none other than Kurmanbek Bakiev, riding into the capital on horseback from Osh, a […]

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