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.

May Day Riots in Germany, Turkey, and Greece

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

May 1, 2009

May Day Riots in Germany, Turkey, and Greece

By James Joyner

David Smith recently argued that the peaceful demonstrations we’re seeing in Georgia and the United States are a healthy part of democracy. Today’s May Day violence in Turkey, Germany, and Greece show the flip side of the coin.

Germany Greece

New Atlanticist

May 1, 2009

Russian Oil and Gas Starts Flowing East

By Boyko Nitzov

Since the beginning of the modern petroleum industry around 1850, oil exports from Russia and other countries in the North Caspian have flown almost exclusively one way: west. The Baku refineries in Azerbaijan were already linked to the Batumi port on the Black Sea by a kerosene-carrying pipeline in 1906. Once the oil treasures of […]

New Atlanticist

May 1, 2009

NATO Expels Russian Diplomats on Espionage Charges

By Valerie Nichols

The expulsion of two Russian diplomats from the nation’s mission to NATO will surely put a damper in recent attempts to thaw relations. Yesterday’s confirmation of the action comes only one day after the first resumption of formal talks between NATO and Russian representatives since last summer’s war with Georgia. The talks were meant to […]

NATO Russia

New Atlanticist

Apr 30, 2009

Gates: I’d Walk through Fire for Bush

By James Joyner

President George H.W. Bush was presented the 2009 Atlantic Council Distinguished International Leadership Award by Defense Secretary Bob Gates, who served as Deputy National Security Advisor and later CIA Director in his administration.

New Atlanticist

Apr 30, 2009

Petraeus: NATO Faces Very Urgent Moment

By James Joyner

General David Petraeus, in his acceptance speech for the Atlantic Council’s 2009 Distinguished Military Leader Award, proclaimed that he is “a huge believer in the importance of the Alliance” but warned that NATO “now faces a very urgent moment.”

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Apr 30, 2009

Council Awards Gala: A Night to Remember

By James Joyner

At the 2008 awards dinner, the Atlantic Council honored Tony Blair, Rupert Murdoch, Mike Mullen, and Evgeny Kissin. We had the likes of Colin Powell and Henry Kissinger introducing the introducers. It was inconceivable that we would be able to top that. And, yet, we did just that last night.

New Atlanticist

Apr 29, 2009

NATO and Russia Resume Formal Relations

By James Joyner

NATO and Russia today resumed formal relations, which were broken off in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Georgia.

NATO Russia

New Atlanticist

Apr 29, 2009

Protests a Healthy Part of Democracy

By David Smith

When there is interesting news from just down the road, most people focus on that, largely ignoring events in other countries. But in our globalized world, a few keystrokes put us in touch with London, Paris, Rome or New York. Google is marvelous. A few hops around cyber space yield two observations. First, almost […]

New Atlanticist

Apr 28, 2009

British Artist Tax Revolt

By James Joyner

There’s a nascent revolt of Britain’s millionaire artists protesting the UK’s high taxes. Over the weekend, Andrew Lloyd Webber spoke out and now he’s been joined by Michael Caine.

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Apr 28, 2009

Obama AfPak Strategy Déjà Vu All Over Again

By Hugh De Santis

President Barack Obama’s Afghanistan strategy is looking eerily similar to the approach former President George W. Bush employed in his effort to remake Iraq. Through a combination of increased military muscle, diplomatic pressure, reconstruction aid, and support from friends and allies, the Obama administration hopes to end the scourge of al-Qaeda and the Taliban and […]

Afghanistan

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