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.

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

Explore the podcast series

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.

Latest commentary and analysis

Latest in-depth research and reports

Issue Brief

Mar 20, 2026

The economic and political traps awaiting aging societies

By Markus Jaeger

Rapidly aging populations and falling birthrates create fiscal and economic headwinds that even advanced economies struggle to manage. Some middle-income countries are approaching the same “demographic cliff” at an even faster clip, while many lower-income countries face the opposite problem. Policymakers in all cases must be prepared to make politically tough decisions—and soon.

Economy & Business Fiscal and Structural Reform

Issue Brief

Mar 20, 2026

Aquatic Tiger: How long-range submarine drones could play a role in a Taiwan conflict

By Markus Garlauskas with contributions from Drew Holliday, Adam Kozloski, Nicholas Takeuchi, and Paul Vebber

Could submarine drones help the United States deter or counter a Chinese attack on Taiwan? The Aquatic Tiger wargame was designed to find out. The Atlantic Council's Indo-Pacific Security Initiative reports on the wargame's findings, with implications for the US government, the defense industry, and more. 

Conflict Defense Technologies

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

In the News

Jan 5, 2026

Caroline Costello in Foreign Policy

By Caroline Costello

On September 9th, 2025, Global China Hub Assistant Director Caroline Costello published an op-ed in Foreign Policy about China’s role in fueling illegal logging in Africa.

Africa China

China in Europe

Jan 5, 2026

Zoltán Fehér and Valbona Zeneli in The National Interest

By Zoltán Fehér, Valbona Zeneli

On November 24th, 2025, Global China Hub nonresident fellow Zoltán Fehér and Europe Center nonresident fellow Valbona Zeneli published an article titled “Europe’s China Awakening” in The National Interest.

China Economy & Business

China in Europe

Jan 5, 2026

Zoltán Fehér on Bloomberg TV

By Zoltán Fehér

On December 4th, 2025, Global China Hub nonresident fellow Zoltán Fehér appeared on Bloomberg TV’s “The Asia Trade” to talk about French President Macron’s visit to China on their episode “Macron Arrives in China for Three-Day State Visit.”

China Economy & Business

China in Europe

Jan 5, 2026

Zoltán Fehér in Courthouse News

By Zoltán Fehér

On November 15th, 2025, Global China Hub nonresident fellow Zoltán Fehér was quoted on France’s policy on China in an article by Courthouse News on the “Great Expo of Made in France” at the Èlysee Palace. The article also cited his chapter in his Atlantic Council report with Valbona Zeneli.

China Economy & Business

China in Europe

Jan 5, 2026

Zoltán Fehér in The Nightly

By Zoltán Fehér

On October 29th, 2025, Global China Hub nonresident fellow Zoltán Fehér was quoted in Australian newspaper The Nightly in their article about G7 coordination on critical minerals: “‘Team West’ told to go global on rare earth deal”

China Economy & Business

China in Europe

Jan 5, 2026

Zoltán Fehér in Démarche

By Zoltán Fehér

On October 29th, 2025, Global China Hub Nonresident Fellow Zoltán Fehér gave an in-depth interview about US-China, EU-China, and Turkey-China relations to Turkish diplomatic magazine Démarche.

China Economy & Business

China in Europe

Jan 5, 2026

Zoltán Fehér in Delfi

By Zoltán Fehér

On October 9th, 2025, Global China Hub nonresident fellow Zoltán Fehér gave an interview to Latvian news portal Delfi titled “‘You can’t be our friend and fund a war that threatens us’ – researcher on EU-China relations”

China Economy & Business

In the News

Jan 4, 2026

Gray interviewed on Bloomberg about Trump’s Venezuela policy

By Atlantic Council

On January 4, Alexander B. Gray, a GeoStrategy Initiative nonresident senior fellow, was interviewed on Bloomberg's "The China Show" about the decision to capture Nicolas Maduro. He explains that the Trump administration has redefined US core interests as inextricably linked to the Western hemisphere, and argues ousting Maduro eliminated a hostile regime and narrowed the strategic space for US adversaries.

Americas Latin America

In the News

Jan 3, 2026

Charai for The National Interest: Peace Through Strength in Venezuela—and the World

By Atlantic Council

Americas Democratic Transitions

In the News

Jan 2, 2026

Nikoladze cited in The Washington Post on how US sanctions against Venezuela are losing effectiveness as Venezuela receives oil payments in crypto

Read the full article here