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.

Europe Seeks Attention, Obama Wants Help

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.

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Europe Seeks Attention, Obama Wants Help

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

Europe Seeks Attention, Obama Wants Help

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

Jun 9, 2009

Europe Seeks Attention, Obama Wants Help

By Jeffrey Lightfoot

President Obama’s recent trip to the Middle East and Europe offered a clear contrast between the past and present priorities of U.S. foreign policy. Obama’s highly scrutinized and substantive trip to Saudi Arabia and Egypt reflects the fact that the greater Middle East is the strategic center of gravity for current U.S. foreign policy. By […]

New Atlanticist

Jun 8, 2009

The “Obama Effect” and Lebanon

By Bernard Finel

On March 20, 2003, the United States invaded Iraq. On April 9, Baghdad fell, ending Saddam Hussein’s tyrannical rule.  The effect of this victory seemed to transform the globe.

Middle East

New Atlanticist

Jun 8, 2009

EU Parliament: One Election, 27 Countries

By James Joyner

While the aggregate result of the European Parliament elections was a win for the center-right, there were really 27 separate elections. And, while they theoretically have nothing to do with national politics, they in fact were about little else.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Jun 8, 2009

European Parliament Moves Right

By James Joyner

The weekend’s European Parliament produced good news for the center-right parties, bad news for the center-left, and good news for radical parties of all stripes.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Jun 7, 2009

Expand the West by Looking South

By Nikolas Gvosdev

For some reason, American strategic planners can only conceive of the “Atlantic community” along an east-west axis. Azerbaijan, lying on the western shore of the Caspian Sea, can aspire to membership in the Euro-Atlantic world; after all, it is part of the European Union’s “Eastern Partnership” initiative and aspires to eventual NATO membership. Yet inexplicably, […]

New Atlanticist

Jun 5, 2009

Britain’s Brown on Borrowed Time

By James Joyner

Despite an embarrassing drubbing of his Labour Party at the polls and the resignation of several key ministers, the UK’s Gordon Brown vows “I will not waver, I will not walk away, I will finish the work.”  Most observers, however, think he’s operating on borrowed time.

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Jun 5, 2009

Obama Can’t Smooth U.S.-Arab Divide with Talk

By Bernard Finel

President Barack Obama’s Cairo speech was designed to help improve our image in the Arab world. It won’t work. Ultimately, if we want to improve our relations with the Arab world, we would need to change the substance of American policy in the region. Rhetoric cannot overcome facts on the ground.

New Atlanticist

Jun 5, 2009

Time: Friend or Foe

By Harlan Ullman

Ironically and unsurprisingly, when it comes to emerging threats, time may be our best friend. Or time can be our most serious foe. Time can solve problems. After all, it was a matter of time — and a great deal of it — for the Soviet Union to implode peacefully. On the other hand, as […]

New Atlanticist

Jun 4, 2009

Misreading Turkey’s Strategic Goals

By James Joyner

A recurring theme of mine on this blog has been Turkey’s strange behavior for a country that purports to aspire to a full membership in the Western community of nations. Ankarra has frequently been a thorn in the side of its NATO allies and is simultaneously demanding entry into the EU and unwilling to modify […]

Turkey

New Atlanticist

Jun 4, 2009

Challenges for U.S.-India Relations

By Habeeb Noor

India’s recent elections demonstrated the resiliency of its democratic system, bringing to power a stable and strong government for the first time in over a decade.  Manmohan Singh was given a decisive mandate to continue as prime minister, while the Communists and various regional parties that had previously stalled reforms were rendered insignificant.

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