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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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.

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Our experts decipher and annotate major speeches and policy documents to break down big ideas and lay them out in plain language.

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New Atlanticist

Apr 2, 2009

5 Questions for Pierre Vimont

By James Joyner

Pierre Vimont is the French ambassador to the United States. He has served in his country’s foreign service for more than three decades. I had the opportunity to get his thoughts on some key issues of interest to the Atlantic Council community.

New Atlanticist

Apr 1, 2009

Medvedev And The Need To De-Personalize Foreign Policy

By Daniel Larison

Ross Douthat mentions this profile of Russian President Medvedev as an interesting source of background, and I agree that it is a useful primer on Medvedev if you are not familiar with his career prior to his elevation by Putin and election, but I am instinctively wary of efforts to interpret the actions of foreign […]

Russia

New Atlanticist

Apr 1, 2009

Barack Obama’s Excellent Adventure

By David Smith

This is a marathon foreign policy week for US President Barack Obama. The next six days will leave a bold imprint on how American foreign policy is perceived in the world, indeed, on what Obama can achieve during his term.

United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Apr 1, 2009

G20 Solves Financial Crisis and More!

By James Joyner

Tufts University political economist Dan Drezner passes on news of what he terms “The Miracle of London.” Your humble blogger has learned that, in an amazing reversal of fortune, the leaders of the G-20 have heeded President Obama’s call to embrace a “responsiblity to co-ordinate our action and find our common ground.”

Economy & Business International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Apr 1, 2009

Russia Must Also Hit the Reset Button

By Damon Wilson

In London today, President Obama will begin to test whether he can hit the reset button in U.S.-Russian relations during his first bilateral meeting with President Medvedev. This is not the first time the United States has tried to “reset” relations with a post-Soviet Moscow.

Russia

New Atlanticist

Mar 31, 2009

Will Summit Week End European Obamamania?

By James Joyner

Barack Obama has headed to Europe for a few days of summitry, marking the new president’s first visit to that continent since taking office. In all likelihood, it will also mark the beginning of the end of the unreasonable expectations for a sudden transformation of transatlantic relations.

New Atlanticist

Mar 31, 2009

“Yellow Card” for Turkey’s AK Party?

By Valerie Nichols

Sunday’s local elections in Turkey resulted in another Justice and Development Party (AKP) victory. Winning just shy of forty percent of the national vote was, however, less than what Recep Tayyip Erdogan hoped for. As BBC notes, “The prime minister had boasted that his party would surpass the 47% share of the vote it gained […]

Turkey

New Atlanticist

Mar 31, 2009

Ricks’ The Gamble: Much Better Than Fiasco

By Magnus Nordenman

Thomas Ricks’ new book The Gamble is an excellent account of how the US strategy in Iraq changed in late 2006 in response to the near disaster that was the US occupation of Iraq starting in 2003.

New Atlanticist

Mar 31, 2009

Why Climate Change Is So Hard

By Robert Manning

As climate negotiators gather in Bonn for a key preparatory meeting for the UN post-Kyoto climate talks in Copenhagen next December, international expectations are high that the Obama administration will bring the U.S. back into the fold.

New Atlanticist

Mar 30, 2009

G20 Expectations: The View from Europe

By Valerie Nichols

European expectations about the upcoming G20 summit are rapidly on the decline. Although most European nations began preparations with a relatively rosy outlook, many are now warning against an all-encompassing economic agreement coming out of the summit.

Economy & Business European Union

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