Category: Press and members call

What to expect from President Biden’s Middle East trip

As President Biden embarks on his first trip to the Middle East as president, experts are watching closely to see how the visit will shape and define the Biden Administration’s policies in the region.  What will the impact be of US-Saudi engagement, both bilaterally and for the wider Gulf? How will it impact oil prices and […]

Atlantic Council press call: Protecting Americans and their Afghan allies in Afghanistan

As the dire situation in Afghanistan continues to unfold, senior former officials and experts discuss the urgent policies, posture and operations needed to ensure a rapid, safe evacuation in the days and weeks ahead.

Atlantic Council press call: Unity among allies in the fight against the coronavirus

As the global community ramps up efforts to counter the rapid spread of the coronavirus, the United States and its allies and partners are taking extraordinary steps to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic. As these measures are put into effect, widescale quarantines are disrupting life for millions, the economy is facing its greatest challenge in over a decade, and longstanding geopolitical relationships are in the spotlight. How can the United States and its closest allies work together most effectively to combat this growing crisis? What lessons can we learn from countries at the leading edge of this fight in order to reduce the toll among our citizens and those of our closest friends? Ambassador Armando Varricchio, Ambassador Ashok Kumar Mirpuri, Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis, and Barry Pavel unpack these questions and discuss the latest on the ground in Europe and Singapore.

Atlantic Council press call: Oil market meltdown: Price wars, coronavirus, and energy geopolitics

Last week’s breakdown of OPEC+ meetings in Vienna has turned a demand side driven decline in oil prices caused by the impacts of Coronavirus into an oil price war between two oil producing giants, with US shale production the ostensible target. If the standoff continues, however, the price war might ultimately do more harm to the Saudi and Russian economies. With increasing uncertainty about the depth of Coronavirus’ impact on global growth, the price war might also contribute to a sharp decline in the global economy. Helima Croft, David L. Goldwyn, Jean-Francois Seznec, Anders Aslund, and Randolph Bell discuss ongoing market volatility, the origins of the crisis, what’s next for US shale, and the implications of it all for energy and geopolitics

Atlantic Council press call: The global, domestic, and local impacts of the coronavirus on economies, risk, and communities

As the coronavirus continues to infect patients at a rapid rate, global markets have been jolted and local communities are being forced to take extraordinary measures to limit the spread of the virus. What is the latest on the US response? How will China’s economy—the world’s second largest—be impacted in the short- and long-term? What do businesses need to be thinking about as they confront a possible pandemic? And how are local communities in the US preparing? Thomas Bossert, Leland Miller, Chris Snider, James Murley, and Kathy Baughman McLeod​​​​​​​ unpack the latest on the response to the coronavirus and its deepening impacts.

Atlantic Council press call: Slovakia’s general election

Slovaks headed to the polls on Saturday, February 29, to vote in a general election that had important implications for the future of the country. In Saturday’s election, voters ousted the center-left Smer-SD party, which has dominated the political landscape for over a decade, and showed clear support for the anti-corruption opposition parties, the “democratic opposition.” Amb. Daniel Fried, Corina Rebegea, Amb. Rastislav Káčer, and Benjamin Haddad unpack the results and discuss the vote’s implications on Slovakia's future as well as the populist tide sweeping through Europe.

Atlantic Council press call: The coronavirus and its growing global consequences

As the coronavirus continues to spread globally at a rapid pace, the US and the international community are facing a potentially historic global public health crisis with vast potential geopolitical and economic implications. United States national security and health authorities are bracing for an impending outbreak, as sizable outbreaks continue to surface across several continents. What are the likely trajectories for the virus? What might be the most important geopolitical impacts? How can we strengthen our resilience against this set of threats?

Atlantic Council press call: Unpacking the NATO Leaders’ Meeting

By Atlantic Council

On Wednesday, December 4, transatlantic leaders gather in London for the NATO Leaders' Meeting. Marking the 70th anniversary of the military alliance, the meeting is an opportunity to take stock of NATO’s progress over the last three major summits and discuss how to transform the Alliance for the future. The summit will come at a tense time for the Alliance, with allies divided over issues such as trade, burden-sharing, Syria, and Iran, while the meeting's host country will be only a few days away from a general election. Following the summit and rounding off NATO's historic 70th anniversary year, Amb. Alexander Vershbow, Chris Skaluba, and Andrew Marshall, discuss key takeaways from the Leaders Meeting and priorities for the NATO alliance moving forward.

Atlantic Council press call: Iraqi Prime Minister resigns amid violent protests

By Atlantic Council

On Friday, November 29, Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi announced plans to resign after nearly two months of anti-government protests. The nationwide demonstrations, which have been driven by anger over rampant corruption and high unemployment rates, have turned increasingly violent and have resulted in close to 400 fatalities. Following Mahdi's resignation, Abbas Kadhim, C. Anthony Pfaff, Thomas Warrick, and William Wechsler unpack the crisis in Iraq.