Category: Blogs

US-Romania Ties in Need of an Upgrade

By Radu Magdin

There are several reasons why Donald Trump’s administration must upgrade the relationship with Romania—an important US partner in Eastern Europe. Romania is an enduring friend and ally—from a cultural, security, and military standpoint—and offers a wealth of economic opportunities. It aspires to be more present on Washington’s strategic radar, and particularly on the agenda of […]

Why I’m Optimistic about Ukraine’s Reforms in 2017

By Oksana Bedratenko

Following decades of neglect, there is real progress in Ukraine’s healthcare sector. Thanks to the efforts of reformers in the Ministry of Health, pressure from civil society, and the support of international donors, the sector is seeing reduced corruption and clear prospects for reform. The healthcare sector had been a magnet for large-scale corruption for […]

Joseph Kabila Has Passed His Expiration Date

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The United States must work to avoid another ‘world war’ in Africa, says Atlantic Council’s J. Peter Pham The United States must ratchet up pressure on Congolese President Joseph Kabila in an attempt to convince him to leave office; a failure to do so would risk dragging the country and its neighbors into a costly […]

Joseph Kabila Has Passed His Expiration Date

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The United States must work to avoid another ‘world war’ in Africa, says the Atlantic Council’s J. Peter Pham The United States must ratchet up pressure on Congolese President Joseph Kabila in an attempt to convince him to leave office; a failure to do so would risk dragging the country and its neighbors into a […]

A Call for the Transatlantic Community to Stand Up to Russia

Deborah Lee James, secretary of the US Air Force, said the transatlantic community is facing significant challenges In light of numerous instances of Russian aggression around the world, the transatlantic security community must stand together in a coordinated show of force so as to deter Russian revanchism, Deborah Lee James, secretary of the US Air […]

How the West Can Beat Back the Kremlin

By Jakub Janda

The Kremlin and its allies have started to harvest the fruits of the seeds they have been planting for years. Moscow occupies territories of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine; actively wages war on another part of Ukrainian soil; and is now playing a game of political subversion in several Western states. In the past few years, […]

Syria ‘On the Cheap’

By Frederic C. Hof

The five-plus year failure of the United States to protect a single Syrian from the relentless mass homicide campaign of a rogue Syrian government will help to define the impact and the values of the Obama administration for as long as historians parse the humanitarian abomination that is Syria. It is a failure that facilitated, […]

Russia’s War on the West Is Real. Why Aren’t We Fighting Back?

By Stephen Blank

Russia’s systematic attack on America’s political system dominates the headlines. Nobody besides President-elect Donald Trump denies that Russia attacked the US political system and electoral institutions. Moreover, Russia did so with impunity and, according to the Central Intelligence Agency and the White House, it did so under Russian President Vladimir Putin’s direct guidance to discredit […]

Turkey-Russia Relationship Will Survive Russian Ambassador’s Assassination

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey on December 19, while a tragic incident, is unlikely to have a significant impact on the diplomatic relationship between Moscow and Ankara that has been forged over priorities in Syria, according to two Atlantic Council analysts. “This incident, in theory, could be a pretext for the Russians […]