Issue briefs and reports

Issue briefs and reports

Our programs and centers deliver in-depth, highly relevant issue briefs and reports that break new ground, shift opinions, and set agendas on public policy, with a focus on advancing debates by integrating foundational research and analysis with concrete policy solutions.

Governance of AI

Report Mar 30, 2026

How the West lost the post-Cold War era

By Brian Whitmore

The latest Atlantic Council Eurasia Center report examines the lessons from the post-Cold War period and what the United States and its allies can do to counter Russian revanchism today.
Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy
Governance of AI

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series Feb 10, 2026

Global Foresight 2036

In this year’s Global Foresight edition, our experts share findings from our survey of geostrategists on how human affairs could unfold over the next decade. Our scholars spot “snow leopards” that could have major unexpected impacts over the next decade. And our tech experts put AI’s forecasting ability to the test.
Africa Central Asia
Governance of AI

Issue Brief Mar 19, 2026

Federal agencies under pressure need smarter systems, not tougher people

By Caitlin Thompson

Resilience is an important trait for national security practitioners, but it is not a solution for problems with agency and department design. Better systems and strategies can ensure that individuals are fully prepared and ready to respond to crises, rather than consistently under strain.
National Security Resilience

Content

Issue Brief

Jun 1, 2026

Governance of AI

By Coley Felt, Ryan Pan

Governments are key partners in the AI economy, not only as regulators but also as users, integrators, and market shapers.

Artificial Intelligence Technology & Innovation

Issue Brief

Jun 1, 2026

Building talent and institutional readiness

By Trisha Ray

Leading in AI requires more than technical skill: it demands governance capability, interdisciplinary fluency, and strong public institutions.

Artificial Intelligence Technology & Innovation

Issue Brief

Jun 1, 2026

AI innovation

By Tess deBlanc-Knowles, Ryan Pan

AI Innovation is reshaping global power dynamics, becoming foundational to economic and national strength.

Artificial Intelligence Technology & Innovation

Issue Brief

Jun 1, 2026

US-Caribbean maritime cooperation: Why stronger ports, supply chains, and security matter now

By Maite Latorre Yerou, Patricia R. Francis

The Caribbean is not a peripheral region but a core component of the United States' economic and security environment. Its ports support US trade, its routes shape regional stability, and its infrastructure is now central to geopolitical competition.

Caribbean Economy & Business

Issue Brief

May 29, 2026

Can the EU’s mutual-defense clause replace NATO’s Article 5?

By James Batchik and Katherine Johnson

The European Union's mutual-defense clause, less well-known than NATO's commitment under Article 5 that an attack on one is an attack on all, is receiving new attention in light of questions over the US security commitment to Europe.

European Union NATO

Issue Brief

May 28, 2026

A framework for US-Japan cooperation in the Arctic

By Kyoko Imai, Connor McPartland, Audrey Roh

Japan's status as a maritime state and proximity to the Arctic Ocean means it is easily affected by climate-driven environmental shifts, evolving maritime routes, and infrastructure changes in the Arctic. How should it approach the rapidly changing region?

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

Issue Brief

May 28, 2026

Information fires: Building C-C5ISRT advantage in competition 

By Martin Zuber, Caleb Eames, Dan Minnocci, Amy Cowley

Countering adversary command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting (C5ISRT) has emerged as a critical operational priority.

China Defense Policy

Report

May 28, 2026

Promote the antidote: Reducing the risk from toxins

By the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense at Atlantic Council

The policymaking community is not fully aware of the expansion of the threat from toxins. In this report, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense at Atlantic Council outlines the threat and how to negate it.

Defense Technologies Security & Defense

Issue Brief

May 21, 2026

For homeland missile defense, think Golden Zones, not a Golden Dome 

By Ankit Panda

While the second Trump administration correctly diagnoses a more dangerous nuclear environment facing the country, a comprehensive defensive system is the wrong prescription. The risks of prompting adversary proliferation and stretching US resources thin are too high.

Defense Technologies Missile Defense

Issue Brief

May 21, 2026

Golden Dome is the missile defense the US needs

By Henry "Trey" Obering

The United States should pursue a comprehensive missile defense system to protect the homeland from advanced threats posed by China, Russia, and North Korea. Political will from the Trump administration and advances in technology make the idea of the long-discussed "dome" over the United States more feasible now than ever.

Missile Defense Security & Defense
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