Category: Blogs

Can diplomacy deter Vladimir Putin and avert a major war in Ukraine?

By Peter Dickinson

Senior Russian and Western officials will hold a series of meetings next week in a bid to defuse mounting tensions and avert the possibility of a major escalation in Vladimir Putin’s eight-year war against Ukraine.

How Kazakhstan could shift Putin’s calculus on Ukraine

By John E. Herbst

The unrest poses a question for Putin: Should he continue his intimidation campaign on his western flank or address the dangers to his south? 

The American torch of democracy is flickering

By Daniel Fried

It won't be easy to fix what led to this radicalization—but nor will it be easy to overthrow American democracy.

Appeasing Putin in Ukraine would be disastrous for European security

By Stephen Blank

Any attempt to appease Moscow and Beijing over Ukraine and Taiwan would be a dangerous betrayal of Western values that would invite bolder acts of aggression against a much more enfeebled West.

Kazakhstan is in chaos. Here’s why the West should be watching.

By Dan Peleschuk

Atlantic Council experts break down what's at stake for Russia, energy supplies, and the future of the strategically located Central Asian nation.

Infographic: What’s ahead for Venezuela after January 5, 2022

Three years since the interim government came to be, Venezuela’s political crisis remains unresolved. Opposition forces continue to face deep challenges – both internal and external – to restore democratic institutions. The Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center at the Atlantic Council created an infographic that looks back at the interim government’s trajectory since 2019 and […]

How secure is Social Security?

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

The Social Security System is estimated to run out of reserves in just 12 years. However, reform is possible and through a combination of tax increases and retirement changes, Social Security can regain solvency

Putin’s pick for Belarus ambassador reveals Russia’s imperial agenda

By Brian Whitmore

This year marks the centenary of the USSR. The appointment of heavyweight figure Gryzlov as Moscow's envoy to Belarus suggests Putin intends to mark this anniversary by putting the old empire back together again.

Venezuela’s youth have a long-term strategy for building democracy. Biden should listen.

By Willow Fortunoff

An entire generation of Venezuelans have grown up in a failed state, which is why they'll be crucial to the future of the country’s democracy.

There’s talk of a military option against Iran. Here’s why it’s unlikely.

By Abbas Qaidari

Could Iran’s program be contained by a military attack? And what would be the consequences in terms of collateral damage and regional instability?