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 11, 2015

Slavin Hosts Issues in the News

By Barbara Slavin

South Asia Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Barbara Slavin hosts Voice of America’s Issues in the News to discuss terrorism, the Syrian opposition talks, and the climate change negotiations in Paris:

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment

In the News

Dec 11, 2015

Montanino on Ukraine and the IMF

By Andrea Montanino

Le Figaro quotes Global Business and Economics Program Director Andrea Montanino on the International Monetary Fund’s decision regarding lending into arrears and how this could impact the Ukrainian financial assistance program:

Ukraine

In the News

Dec 11, 2015

Ashooh on the Upcoming Syrian Peace Talks

By Jessica Ashooh

Middle East Strategy Task Force Deputy Director Jessica Ashooh joins Al Jazeera English to discuss the upcoming Syrian peace talks and why military pressure is necessary to force Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to the negotiating table: Watch the full interview here.

Syria

In the News

Dec 11, 2015

Vakhshouri Testifies on US Oil Export Ban

By Sara Vakhshouri

AgWeek quotes Global Energy Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Sara Vakhshouri from her testimony before the Energy and Natural Resources Committee on the US oil export ban:

In the News

Dec 11, 2015

Benitez on UN-Russian Relations

By Jorge Benitez

Stars and Stripes quotes Brent Scowcroft Center Senior Fellow and NATOSource Director Jorge Benitez on NATO Supreme Allied Commander General Phillip Breedlove’s approach toward Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s intervention in Ukraine:

NATO Russia

In the News

Dec 11, 2015

Janeka on Airstrikes against ISIS

By Marri Janeka

Anadolu Agency quotes Middle East Peace and Security Initiative Assistant Director Marri Janeka on why coalition airstrikes alone will not be effective in defeating ISIS:

In the News

Dec 11, 2015

Ricciardone on Turkey, Iraq, and ISIS

By Francis Ricciardone

Trend News Agency quotes Vice President and Rafik Hariri Center Director Francis Ricciardone on tensions between Turkey and Iraq, and why they should focus on defeating their common enemy, ISIS:

Iraq Turkey

In the News

Dec 11, 2015

Aslund: Putin’s New Prudence

By Anders Aslund

Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Resident Senior Fellow Anders Aslund writes for Project Syndicate on the declining Russian economy: 

Russia

In the News

Dec 11, 2015

Montanino on the European Banking System

By Andrea Montanino

Global Business and Economics Program Director Andrea Montanino joins Radio Rai 1 to discuss the shape of the European banking system:

In the News

Dec 11, 2015

Shaffer on Energy in the Eastern Mediterranean

By Brenda Shaffer

Foreign Policy quotes Global Energy Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Brenda Shaffer on the discovery of the Zohr gas field off Egypt and the possible geopolitical friction it may create within the region: 

Israel