Insights and impact

About the Council

The Atlantic Council promotes constructive leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the Atlantic Community’s central role in meeting global challenges. The Council provides an essential forum for navigating the dramatic economic and political changes defining the twenty-first century by informing and galvanizing its uniquely influential network of global leaders. Through the papers we write, the ideas we generate, and the communities we build, the Council shapes policy choices and strategies to create a more secure and prosperous world.

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Featured content

NATO 20/2020

Twenty bold ideas to reimagine the Alliance after the 2020 US election

More than two decades after NATO’s inspired decision to invite former adversaries to join its ranks, the Alliance is in need of equally captivating ideas. The essays in this volume are intended to push the Alliance to think boldly and creatively in the service of recapturing the public’s imagination.

Read our provocative essays on the future of NATO

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Explore the podcast series

NATO 20/2020 Podcast

NATO 20/2020 is a weekly podcast that explores 20 bold ideas to push NATO to be more visionary, more capable, and more self-evidently valuable to the security of more people.

Making a difference

Learn more about the Atlantic Council’s insights & impact through these stories of how our regional and thematic programs are making a difference not only in shaping how we view global issues but also in shaping their outcome.

Artwork by Peter Kuper

In the News

Dec 17, 2020

The Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center partners with LEADERS Magazine to dedicate an entire issue to resilience

For its Fall/Winter issue of 2020, LEADERS Magazine, asked the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center to produce an issue dedicated to resilience. The Resilience Issue assembles a broad range of global thought leaders and experts who are currently tackling the challenges and crises facing the world from different perspectives.

Insights & Impact

Mar 3, 2020

Peering Around the Corner: The Geopolitics of Coronavirus

By Atlantic Council

On February 11, 2020 the DFRLab hosted "Peering Around the Corner: The Geopolitics of Coronavirus," a timely series of panels on the potential geopolitical and economic consequences of Coronavirus, and how misinformation about the crisis may influence its impact.

China Disinformation

Program Impact Story

Feb 6, 2020

US energy priorities abroad: A conversation with US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette

By Global Energy Center

On Friday, February 7, 2020, the Atlantic Council hosted newly appointed US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette for a public address and moderated discussion about US government energy priorities abroad.

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Latest commentary and analysis

Econographics

Apr 29, 2026

What swap, Gulf?

By Charles Lichfield and Maxamillian Rajaobelina-Phipps

Amidst the chaos of the conflict in the Middle East, there’s been a buzz around offering dollar currency swaps to allies. Those have traditionally been the territory of central banks, but this time around, Treasury is taking the lead.

Economy & Business

UkraineAlert

Apr 28, 2026

Ukraine’s Zelennials have youth on their side in war against Putin’s pensioners

By Peter Dickinson

It is no exaggeration to state that the current war in Ukraine is a clash of generations pitting Russia’s staunchly Soviet leadership against the radically different post-Soviet mindset of the Ukrainian authorities, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Apr 28, 2026

Iran war could leave Ukrainian civilians exposed to Russian missiles

By Maksym Beznosiuk, William Dixon

With the Iran war depleting global stocks of Patriot air defense interceptor missiles, fears are mounting in Kyiv that Ukrainian civilians could be left exposed to Russian ballistic missiles during an anticipated summer bombing campaign, write Maksym Beznosiuk and William Dixon.

Conflict Critical Infrastructure Policy
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Latest in-depth research and reports

Issue Brief

Apr 29, 2026

Does liberal democracy drive inequalities?

By Yi Zhou

There has been much debate about the relationship between liberal democracy and social and economic inequality, but data shows that free societies remain more equal than their less free counterparts.

Freedom and Prosperity Inclusive Growth

Issue Brief

Apr 29, 2026

How information and communication technologies can empower women in Senegal

By Aminata Niang

Data and interview results show how information and communication technologies are empowering women in Senegal's informal economy.

Africa Freedom and Prosperity

Issue Brief

Apr 29, 2026

The clarity of the law differential: Channels to prosperity across income groups

By Achilles Tsirgis

Legal clarity increases prosperity through different mechanisms depending on a country's income level— high-income nations gain primarily through productivity and innovation, while lower-middle-income countries benefit most through credibility and reduced borrowing costs.

Economy & Business Inclusive Growth
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Content

In the News

Apr 22, 2020

Herbst and Debra Cagan in The American Interest: How the oil shock will contain Putin

By Atlantic Council

Russia’s foreign policy has always been closely tied to the price of its primary export—energy. With oil prices hitting record lows, can the country afford Vladimir Putin’s foreign adventures? Eurasia Center Director John Herbst joined Debra Cagan, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense, to write an op-ed arguing that plunging oil prices will constrain […]

Geopolitics & Energy Security Oil and Gas

In the News

Apr 22, 2020

Chhibber in the Brookings Institution: Global solutions to global ‘bads’: 2 practical proposals to help developing countries deal with the COVID-19 pandemic

By Atlantic Council

Coronavirus Economy & Business

In the News

Apr 22, 2020

Ullman in UPI: Something is wrong with our bloody ships today

By Harlan Ullman

Politics & Diplomacy Security & Defense

In the News

Apr 22, 2020

Starling writes article on European military mobility in Defense One

By Atlantic Council

Deputy Director of Forward Defense Clementine Starling reviews the successes of and challenges to European military mobility in the wake of COVID-19, and advances four solutions.

Coronavirus Defense Policy

In the News

Apr 22, 2020

Bryza joins CBC TV (Azerbaijani) to discuss the meeting of Azerbaijan and Armenia’s Foreign Ministers about Nagorno Karabakh

By Atlantic Council

Azerbaijani The Caucasus

In the News

Apr 22, 2020

Borghard in the Council on Foreign Relations: US Cyber Command’s malware inoculation, linking offense and defense in cyberspace

By Atlantic Council

Erica writes about malware inoculation and how it reduces the attack surface of potential U.S. targets, thereby making it harder for adversaries to achieve their objectives without the need for the U.S. to conduct disruptive, destructive, or degrading cyber operations—it is simply the sharing useful information. More about our expert

Cybersecurity Political Reform

In the News

Apr 22, 2020

The role of tech, data, and leadership in pandemic geopolitics and recovery post-COVID

By Atlantic Council

On April 22, 2020, Vint Cerf, Sue Gordon, Melissa Flagg, and Terry Halvorsen participated in a Webit virtual panel titled "Pandemic geopolitics and recovery post-COVID," moderated by David Bray, the Director of the Atlantic Council's GeoTech Center, on the role of tech, data, and leadership in the global response to and recovery from COVID-19.

Civil Society Coronavirus

In the News

Apr 21, 2020

Lakhani in i2i’s brief: COVID-19 & its impact on Pakistani startups

By Atlantic Council

Coronavirus Entrepreneurship

In the News

Apr 21, 2020

Riaz in Dorpon News: Five Obvious Lessons from COVID-19

By Atlantic Council

Coronavirus Inclusive Growth

In the News

Apr 21, 2020

Robert Manning in The Hill about the Coronavirus’ impact on China’s influence

By Atlantic Council

China Coronavirus
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