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

Apr 14, 2009

5 Questions for Mario Monti

By James OConnor

Mario Monti, a member of the Atlantic Council’s Business and Economic Advisors Group is president of Bocconi University and the former EU Commissioner for the Internal Market, Tax Policy (1995-1999) and Competiton (1999-2005). I had the opportunity to get his thoughts on some key issues of interest to the Atlantic Council community.

New Atlanticist

Apr 14, 2009

Gas at Gunpoint: Ukraine’s Energy Power Struggle

By Alexandros Petersen

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko traveled together to Brussels last month to ink a 2.5 billion euro ($3.3 billion) deal with the European Union aimed at holding their country’s state-owned energy company, Naftohaz, to EU market standards.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Apr 14, 2009

Georgia Protests: So Far, So Good

By David Smith

On April 9 and successive days, people took to the streets of Tbilisi calling upon Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to resign. The President remains in office, as a majority of Georgians want. However, the demonstrations have not been for naught—the peaceful, democratic demeanor of demonstrators and government alike has burnished Georgia’s image abroad.

The Caucasus

New Atlanticist

Apr 14, 2009

Taking On Somali Piracy

By Harlan Ullman

Sunday’s rescue of Richard Phillips, the skipper of the Maersk Alabama, from Somali pirates brought home an old story.

Somalia

New Atlanticist

Apr 14, 2009

North Korea and Iran Nuclear Talks on Different Path to Same Destination

By James Joyner

Efforts to stem progress in the nuclear programs of two members of the erstwhile Axis of Evil are going in decidedly different directions. North Korea has pulled out of the Six-Party talks while negotiations with Iran appear ready to get underway.

Korea

New Atlanticist

Apr 13, 2009

Election Unrest in Moldova: The View from Europe

By Valerie Nichols

Last Wednesday marked the beginning of continued violent protests in Moldova after elections the previous day saw the Communist party retain its power with 50 percent of the vote. However, OSCE gave the elections a more or less positive review. So why a degree of unrest not witnessed since the fall of the Soviet Union?

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Apr 13, 2009

Publicly Funded Energy Research Needed Yesterday

By Boyko Nitzov

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has been touted as a major step towards a more secure and cleaner energy future. This much is quite true. The question is, is the step big enough to span the void and aren’t we risking being pushed into it before the step could be actually […]

New Atlanticist

Apr 13, 2009

After G-20: Not Quite A New World Order…Yet

By Robert Manning

Now that the dust has settled from the London G20 meeting earlier this month, what did it add up to? The media was not kind to British PM Gordon Brown’s boast that, “I think the New World Order is emerging.”

Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Apr 10, 2009

When Bubbles Burst: Daewoo All Over Again

By Peter Beck

I have been teaching a class called “The Global Marketplace” this semester, but often I begin class by stating, “Welcome back to `The Global Meltdown’ class.” Instead of studying about rising trade and investment and economic integration, we discuss deglobalization and the prospects for a global depression.

New Atlanticist

Apr 10, 2009

AfPak: One Theater, Two Countries

By James Joyner

The Obama administration has brought a new emphasis to its predecessor’s policy of treating the fight against militants in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region as part of single theater. As a joint Atlantic Council appearance of the two ambassadors makes clear, however, it would be wise to remember that they are in fact two countries.

Afghanistan Pakistan

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