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.

Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize: The View from Europe

New Atlanticist
Jul 29, 2025

The Russia pressure menu: Options to convince Putin to negotiate on Ukraine

As the US president cuts his deadline for Russia to ten days, there are several options for him to increase pressure on Moscow to pursue peace.

New Atlanticist
Jul 24, 2025

Dispatch from Manila: A lesson in calling out Chinese maritime aggression

By
Markus Garlauskas, Philip W. Yu

As the Philippines has focused more on Chinese threats to itself, Manila also seems increasingly inclined to see its own security as connected to that of the broader region.

China
Indo-Pacific

New Atlanticist
Jul 1, 2025

The US must enforce sanctions to prevent Iran from rebuilding its nuclear program

By
Kimberly Donovan

To ensure that Tehran cannot get its hands on the financial resources it would need to rebuild its nuclear program, Iran sanctions enforcement should start with China.

Economic Sanctions
Iran

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.

Content

New Atlanticist

Oct 15, 2009

Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize: The View from Europe

By Benjamin Preisler

The announcement of Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize has thus far been met mostly with consternation in Europe. As in the U.S., most commentators view his intentions positively but consider the award to be premature, with the President not even a year into his term and having few concrete accomplishments to his name.

United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Oct 14, 2009

Ankara’s Opportunity to Make South Caucasus Peace

By Borut Grgic

Peace and stability in the South Caucasus has been an elusive project, but this weekend a major breakthrough was achieved with Turkey and Armenia. The foreign ministers of the two countries met in Switzerland, and in the presence of the U.S. Secretary of State and other European foreign ministers, signed an agreement to open the […]

Turkey

New Atlanticist

Oct 14, 2009

Pakistan Needs More than Aid

By Harlan Ullman

That no good deed goes unpunished is both cliche and irony. No better illustration can be found than in the uproar that accompanied the House of Representative’s passage last week of the Kerry-Lugar-Berman bill that “authorizes” an additional $1.5 billion a year for five years in non-military aid to Pakistan. “Authorize” is a key word.

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Oct 14, 2009

Darfur: The World Averts Its Eyes

By Don Snow

One of the offshoots of the current fixation with Afghanistan is that it tends to redirect our attention away from other crises in the world that might otherwise attract our attention, and even possibly corrective action.

Sudan

New Atlanticist

Oct 13, 2009

10 Questions on Afghanistan

By Jeffrey Lightfoot

As President Obama and his national security team debate the way forward in Afghanistan, they must answer a series of difficult and complex questions. The administration must consider not only how the new U.S. policy will affect Afghanistan but also reflect upon the second and third order strategic consequences of the decision.

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Oct 13, 2009

In Search of Strategy

By Derek Reveron

The Obama administration is rethinking its strategy in Afghanistan. NATO is developing its new strategic concept. And the United States military is conducting its strategic defense review. It seems that one cannot talk about international affairs today without first thinking about strategy.

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Oct 9, 2009

Defensive on Missile Defense

By Jeffrey Lightfoot

A series of briefings by General Patrick O’Reilly of the Missile Defense Agency, Under Secretary of State Ellen Tauscher, and Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Nacht at the Atlantic Council on Wednesday provided a strong case and rationale for the administration’s recent decision on missile defense in Europe.

Missile Defense Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Oct 9, 2009

Pakistan’s Trust Deficit

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

Before we throw caution to the wind and build a new embassy in Islamabad, a la Baghdad, fit for 1,000 employees, let’s first acquire a proper understanding of the nature of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship.

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Oct 9, 2009

Turkey Should Pursue Green, Not Nuclear Energy

By Borut Grgic

Turkey is set to go nuclear. The Erdoğan government has put all the pieces in place for the beginning of the construction of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant. There is nothing wrong with Turkey’s civil nuclear ambition, except there is no need for it.

Energy & Environment Turkey

New Atlanticist

Oct 9, 2009

Reversal Near in Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy?

By Andrew Kessinger

Is the Pentagon starting to reverse its support of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell? In a telling article in this month’s Joint Force Quarterly, Air Force Colonel Om Prakash asserts, “after a careful examination, there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that unit cohesion will be negatively affected if homosexuals serve openly.”

Share

Issue briefs and reports