Category: Blogs

Will Bulgaria Tilt Toward Russia?

By Gergana Dimova

Bulgaria’s orientation toward Russia, and the renewed awareness of this shift, has become a major political issue in its presidential elections. While neither of the leading candidates has directly disputed Bulgaria’s membership in NATO and the European Union (EU), they have both argued that the EU should lift the sanctions imposed on Russia for annexing […]

What Will a Trump Administration Mean for Latin America?

Peter Schechter, senior vice president for strategic initiatives and director, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center Important progress was made during the Obama administration to advance US interests in the Western Hemisphere. First impressions are frequently wrong. But Donald Trump’s rhetoric targeting Hispanics—specifically Mexicans—throughout the campaign raises concerns that progress could be halted.

In Trump, Turkey Sees Hope for a New Era with the United States

By Pinar Dost-Niyego and Grady Wilson

Donald Trump’s electoral victory has been welcomed in pro-government circles in Turkey. This is not surprising when one takes into account the US president-elect’s past comments on Turkey and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Following the attempted coup in Turkey in July, Trump, in an interview with the New York Times, described Erdoğan as a […]

How the White Helmets Have Evolved During the Civil War

By Hasan Arfeh

“To be able to understand accurately the damage, threat and the devastation of the disaster in Syria, [it is like] we are having a 7.6 earthquake 50 times a day,” writes Ammar Al-Salmo, leader of Syrian Civil Defense in Aleppo, on the agency’s website.

TTIP&TRADE in Action – November 10, 2016

By Global Business & Economics Program

Donald J. Trump was elected the forty-fifth president of the United States on November 8. Atlantic Council analysts and board members describe the challenges and opportunities the new president will face as he takes office in January of 2017, and provide policy recommendations.

Trump and Syria

By Frederic C. Hof

For many Syrians, five-plus years of pain and suffering seem now to be crowned with another catastrophe: the election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States.  Feelings of foreboding and doom are deepened by much of the instant analysis pouring forth from Washington think tanks and editorial writers: analysis that recites […]

Part 2: This is How They Killed Me Twice

By Hadi Alabdullah

In a hospital ICU room in Aleppo, with doctors all around me, I tried to open my eyes after a series of surgeries on my stomach and legs. I could see the fear and pity in their eyes. This is how they treat all of their patients; despite their personal tragedies, their hearts still have kindness […]

What a Donald Trump Presidency Means for the Middle East

By MENASource

On November 8, Donald J. Trump was elected the forty-fifth president of the United States. In transcribed interviews, Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East experts weigh in on what a Donald Trump presidency means for the Middle East.

Trump’s Victory is Brexit Gone Global

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Interview with Atlantic Council Executive Vice President Damon Wilson Atlantic Council Executive Vice President for Programs and Strategy, Damon Wilson, discussed the implications of Donald Trump’s election victory, and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Wilson spoke in an interview with the New Atlanticist’s Ashish Kumar Sen. Here are edited excerpts from our interview: […]

Here’s Why Nord Stream 2 Isn’t the Only Game in Town

By Olga Bielkova

Most Russia watchers, including those at the Atlantic Council, recognize that in this age of hybrid warfare, energy trade is a potent weapon. What has changed with Nord Stream 2 is that the weapon is now pointed directly at the EU rather than Ukraine, and it is masquerading as a commercial project. But who could […]