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
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

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New Atlanticist

Jul 15, 2009

Nabucco: Success Far From Assured

By Nikolas Gvosdev

Listening to some of the commentary on the signing of the intergovernmental agreement which lays the foundation for the construction of the Nabucco pipeline reminds me of Raphael Patai’s famous observation about the political culture of the Middle East.

New Atlanticist

Jul 15, 2009

‘International FEMA’ Needed for Contingency Operations?

By James Joyner

Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, argues that we need an “international FEMA” to coordinate complex contingency operations across the various agencies of the American government and institutionalize lessons learned.

New Atlanticist

Jul 15, 2009

Three Wishes for Obama

By Harlan Ullman

Back from “resetting” relations with Russia and then conferring with the G8-plus before stopping over in Ghana, U.S. President Barack Obama continues a full court press on resolving concurrently the myriad of crises, dangers and issues facing the nation.

Russia

New Atlanticist

Jul 14, 2009

At War with Pakistan’s Taliban

By Shuja Nawaz

After years of self-denial, Pakistani society and its government now face the reality of a dangerous – nay, existential – threat to their polity from a home-grown variant of the Afghan Taliban, a movement that was spawned by the U. S. invasion of Afghanistan and grew into a potent political force in the past three […]

New Atlanticist

Jul 14, 2009

European Youth Unemployment Creating Lost Generation?

By James Joyner

At 9.3 percent, unemployment in the European Union is at its highest rate in more than a decade. For those under 25, however, the rate is more than twice that.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Jul 14, 2009

U.S.-China Relations: The Changing Climate of Diplomacy

By Banning Garrett

From the start of the global economic crisis, it has become clear that a new world order has emerged. While the world is increasingly interconnected, it is specifically the U.S.-China relationship that will determine how and if our leaders can meet the major global challenges of the 21st century.

China

New Atlanticist

Jul 13, 2009

Trust-Busting Popular on Both Sides of the Atlantic

By James Joyner

The European Union has long been aggressively using its anti-trust laws to go after large companies who may be abusing their marketplace dominance while the United States has been more inclined to look the other way. There have been recent signs, however, that a convergence is taking place.

New Atlanticist

Jul 13, 2009

Africa’s Future: The West’s Role

By Derek Reveron

President Obama concluded weeks of travel not in Russia or Italy, but in Ghana. While there less than a day, he outlined four areas of partnership that begins, in his words, “from the simple premise that Africa’s future is up to Africans.”

Africa

New Atlanticist

Jul 10, 2009

Afghanistan Caveats Coming to End?

By James Joyner

General John Craddock, the outgoing SACEUR, says the caveats that constrain how some countries’ NATO forces are used “increase the risk to every service member deployed in Afghanistan and bring increased risk to mission success” and are “a detriment to effective command and control.”

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Jul 10, 2009

Obama’s Missed Opportunity

By Nikolas Gvosdev

President Barack Obama is an inspiring orator and a gifted storyteller. So why did his speech at Moscow’s New Economic School go over so poorly (other than the genuine laughter at his gratitude for Alexander Ovechkin playing for the Capitals)?

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