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 1, 2015

Stein on Tension Between Russia and Turkey

By Aaron Stein

Business Insider quotes Rafik Hariri Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Aaron Stein on Russia’s continued use of the Turkish Straits despite the recent conflict between the two nations:

Russia Turkey

In the News

Dec 1, 2015

Reuters Highlights Event with US Air Force Chief General Mark Welsh

By Brent Scowcroft Center

Reuters highlights an Atlantic Council event with US Air Force Chief General Mark Welsh, where the recent military data breach was discussed:

In the News

Dec 1, 2015

McFate on the Deployment of Columbian Mercenaries in Yemen

By Sean McFate

Business Insider quotes Africa Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Sean McFate on the United Arab Emirates’ recruitment and training of Colombian mercenaries to fight in Yemen:

Colombia Yemen

In the News

Dec 1, 2015

Hagel: Climate Change Is a National Security Problem

By Chuck Hagel

Atlantic Council Distinguished Statesman and former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel writes for TIME on the Paris climate talks and why climate change is a national security challenge:

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment

In the News

Dec 1, 2015

Silva: Sustain Colombia’s Miracle

By Miguel Silva

Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center Nonresident Senior Colombia Fellow Miguel Silva writes for US News and World Report on the upcoming elections in Colombia:

Colombia

In the News

Dec 1, 2015

McFate the Military Contracting Industry

By Sean McFate

MAXIM quotes Africa Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Sean McFate on the increased use of private military contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan:

In the News

Dec 1, 2015

Barno and Bensahel: First Steps Towards the Force of the Future

By Dave Barno and Nora Bensahel

Brent Scowcroft Center Nonresident Senior Fellows for Military Affairs and National Security Policy Dave Barno and Nora Bensahel write for War on the Rocks on the issues within the military personnel system and the Department of Defense’s strategies to solve them: 

In the News

Dec 1, 2015

Brummer on China’s Renminbi

By Chris Brummer

The New York Times quotes Global Business and Economics C. Boyden Gray Fellow Chris Brummer on one of the potential challenges of the growing popularity of China’s currency in the absence of thoughtful geostrategic planning—the possible circumvention of Western sanctions:

China

In the News

Dec 1, 2015

Healey on the Economic Benefits of Networking

By Jason Healey

Cyber Statecraft Initiative Nonresident Senior Fellow Jason Healey joins the Steptoe Cyberlaw Podcast to discuss why the economic benefits of networking still outweigh the losses from security failures: Listen to the full podcast here.

In the News

Dec 1, 2015

Itani on ISIS Prisoner Swap

By Faysal Itani

Rafik Hariri Center Resident Fellow Faysal Itani joins CNN to discuss the reasons behind the swap of ISIS chief’s ex-wife: