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


Econographics

Jun 19, 2026

Central banks can’t afford to keep missing their inflation targets

By
Jack Muldoon

While the Iran war explains the sudden rise in inflation, relying on this excuse obscures that there is potentially a long-term problem central banks will need to confront as they manage the long tail of this crisis.


Economy & Business


Macroeconomics


UkraineAlert

Jun 18, 2026

Putin’s obsession with ‘denazifying’ Ukraine makes peace impossible

By
Peter Dickinson

Putin’s obsession with “denazifying” Ukraine makes a mockery of efforts to portray the Russian invasion as a mere land grab and helps explain why there has been no meaningful progress toward peace despite more than a year of US-led efforts, writes Peter Dickinson.


Conflict


Disinformation


Podcast

Jun 18, 2026

“Shoot everybody”: US contractors in San Diego court

By
Alia Brahimi

In Season 2, Episode 16 of the Guns for Hire podcast, host Alia Brahimi is joined by Daniel McLaughlin, an international lawyer and Legal Director of the Centre for Justice and Accountability (CJA), a California-based legal nonprofit working on behalf of victims of torture and other atrocity crimes. Daniel and CJA are leading a civil suit in San Diego against a Delaware-registered PMC, Spear Operations Group, for war crimes in Yemen. They represent the Yemeni parliamentarian Anssaf Ali Mayo, who was one of the targets of an alleged hit-squad in Yemen. Daniel talks us through the facts of the case, how it ended up in a California courtroom ten years later, and which US and international laws were ostensibly broken by the PMC. He also argues forcefully that the US government has a duty to regulate how former members of its military use their training and know-how.


Middle East


Rule of Law

Latest in-depth research and reports

Content

In the News

Dec 22, 2015

Pham on Islamist Threats in Africa

By J. Peter Pham

Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham joins Secure Freedom Radio to discuss Islamist threats in Africa, the new Chinese military base in Djibouti, and changes in Sudan:  Listen to the full interview here.

Sudan

In the News

Dec 21, 2015

Slavin: Iran Nuclear Agreement Faces ‘Significant Turbulence’

By Barbara Slavin

South Asia Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Barbara Slavin writes for Voice of America on how the Iran nuclear agreement is slowly progressing amid the upcoming Iranian election season and pressure against the US State Department from the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee:

Iran

In the News

Dec 21, 2015

Tanchum on the TAPI Pipeline

By Micha'el Tanchum

Nikkei Asian Review quotes Global Energy Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Micha’el Tanchum on the groundbreaking ceremony of the TAPI Pipeline:

In the News

Dec 21, 2015

Ullman: Delusional and Desperate – The Latest Republican Presidential Debate

By Harlan Ullman

Atlantic Council Senior Adviser Harlan Ullman writes for United Press International on the lack of foreign policy knowledge from the Republican Candidates in the most recent presidential debate: 

In the News

Dec 21, 2015

Pham on Rwanda’s Upcoming Presidential Election

By J. Peter Pham

NPR quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham on whether or not current Rwandan President Paul Kagame should be allowed to run for a third term: 

East Africa

In the News

Dec 21, 2015

Tanchum on the TAPI Gas Pipeline

By Micha'el Tanchum

Foreign Policy quotes Eurasian Energy Futures Initiative Nonresident Senior Fellow Micha’el Tanchum on the opportunities and challenges posed by the TAPI Pipeline:

In the News

Dec 20, 2015

Shaffer on Israel and Turkey’s Energy Relationship

By Brenda Shaffer

Global Energy Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Brenda Shaffer joins Seder Yom with Keren Neubach to discuss whether natural gas will lead to a closer relationship between Israel and Turkey:

Israel Turkey

In the News

Dec 19, 2015

Aslund on Anti-Corruption in Ukraine

By Anders Aslund

The Economist quotes Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Resident Senior Fellow Anders Aslund on how Ukraine is progressing on making banking more efficient and cutting wasteful public spending: 

Ukraine

In the News

Dec 19, 2015

Pham on Ethiopia’s Fight Against Starvation

By J. Peter Pham

The East African quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham on Ethiopia’s booming population rate amidst their urgent starvation crisis:

Ethiopia

In the News

Dec 18, 2015

Herbst on Russia and the Paris Attacks

By John Herbst

Georgian News Agency Accent quotes Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Director John E. Herbst on the Paris terror attacks and Russia’s response:

France Russia