Inflection Points

Inflection Points

A weekly column by Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe, Inflection Points focuses on the global challenges facing the United States and how to best address them.

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Inflection Points

Jul 2, 2022

Special dispatch from Madrid: At NATO’s historic summit, good scores points on evil, but it’s not enough to stop Putin’s Ukraine war

By Frederick Kempe

Despite the successes of the NATO summit, Russia's missile strike on a Ukrainian shopping mall put the brutality of Putin's war into stark relief.

Conflict Eastern Europe

Inflection Points

Jun 26, 2022

Europe’s ‘rewiring’ is crucial in the face of grinding inflation and Putin’s war

By Frederick Kempe

The lessons from two devastating World Wars and a Cold War are that staying unified is a prerequisite for victory and that appeasing despots is always self-defeating.

Conflict Eastern Europe

Inflection Points

Jun 19, 2022

President Xi’s damage control focuses on Europe and the Chinese economy

By Frederick Kempe

As he grapples with the consequences of his own missteps, China's Xi Jinping is in damage control mode ahead of the Chinese Communist Party Congress in November.

China Conflict
Aerial image of the destroyed Kharkiv National Stadium

Inflection Points

Jun 5, 2022

It’s time to show Putin a dead end in Ukraine, not an off-ramp

By Frederick Kempe

The West needs to pursue a Ukrainian victory, and offering Putin an off-ramp instead would be a big mistake.

China Conflict

Inflection Points

May 29, 2022

Davos Dispatch: Why I’m going ‘long’ on optimism despite global anxiety

By Frederick Kempe

There would be costs to us all if we don't leverage this moment for a common cause.

China Conflict

Inflection Points

May 15, 2022

Five ways Ukraine’s partners can defeat Putin and shape the future

By Frederick Kempe

It's time for Kyiv and its allies to seize the momentum. Here's how they can do it.

Conflict International Norms

Inflection Points

Apr 24, 2022

Biden should deploy ‘great arsenal of democracy’ to defend Ukraine

By Frederick Kempe

Today, FDR's message to President Joe Biden would be: Do more now to stop Vladimir Putin.

Conflict International Norms

Inflection Points

Apr 3, 2022

Dispatch from Dubai: The world isn’t ready for this new world order

By Frederick Kempe

To shape the future world order, the United States and Europe first need to reverse the trajectory of Western and democratic decline in Ukraine.

Conflict European Union

Inflection Points

Mar 27, 2022

By doubling down on Putin, Xi is gambling his own power

By Frederick Kempe

If Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II produces Putin’s military withdrawal, failure, or political ouster, it has all the ingredients to pose the biggest threat yet to Xi’s leadership.

China Conflict

Inflection Points

Mar 13, 2022

The Western response to Putin’s war has been remarkable. But it’s not enough.

By Frederick Kempe

Vladimir Putin will continue to escalate if more isn't done to stop him.

Conflict Crisis Management
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