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

Oct 17, 2015

Herbst on Montenegro Joining NATO

By John E. Herbst

International Business Times quotes Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Director John E. Herbst on the possibility of Montenegro joining NATO as a response to Russian aggression in the region: 

NATO Russia

In the News

Oct 16, 2015

Aslund on Dutch MH17 Report

By Anders Aslund

Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Resident Senior Fellow Anders Aslund joins The Background Briefing with Ian Masters to discuss the Dutch Safety Board’s final report on the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17: Listen to the full interview here.

Ukraine

In the News

Oct 16, 2015

Pham on Child Soldiers in Boko Haram

By J. Peter Pham

The Daily Beast quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham on Boko Haram’s widespread abduction, recruitment, and deployment of child soldiers in Cameroon and elsewhere in Africa:

In the News

Oct 16, 2015

Gopalaswamy on US Troops in Afghanistan and Prime Minister Sharif’s US Visit

By Bharath Gopalaswamy

South Asia Center Director Bharath Gopalaswamy joins Voice of America Urdu TV to discuss President Obama’s announcement that he will be maintaining troop levels in Afghanistan and US-Pakistan relations in light of Prime Minister Sharif’s upcoming visit to the United States:

Afghanistan Pakistan

In the News

Oct 16, 2015

Stein on the United States, Turkey, and the PKK

By Aaron Stein

Buzzfeed News quotes Rafik Hariri Center Nonresident Fellow Aaron Stein on the United States involvement with the PKK to fight ISIS:

Turkey

In the News

Oct 16, 2015

Cunningham on Obama’s Announcement on Troops in Afghanistan

By James Cunningham

Reuters quotes Zalmay Khalilzad Chair on Afghanistan and Resident Senior Fellow James B. Cunningham on how developments on the ground may have changed thinking on President Obama’s recent decision to maintain troop levels in Afghanistan:

Afghanistan

In the News

Oct 16, 2015

Slavin on the Treasury Department’s Announcement on Iran Sanctions

By Barbara Slavin

The Washington Post quotes South Asia Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Barbara Slavin on the US Treasury Department’s expected announcement on Sunday regarding whether sanctions on Iran will remain in place:

Iran

In the News

Oct 16, 2015

Pham on US Troops in Cameroon

By J. Peter Pham

Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham joins PBS to discuss President Obama’s announcement to send troops to Cameroon to monitor Boko Haram:

In the News

Oct 16, 2015

Aslund on Failure of Reforms in Ukraine

By Anders Aslund

The Ukrainian Weekly quotes Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Resident Senior Fellow Anders Aslund on the need for reform in Ukraine’s corrupt judicial system:

Ukraine

In the News

Oct 16, 2015

Slavin on the Middle East

By Barbara Slavin

South Asia Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Barbara Slavin joins Voice of America’s Issues in the News to discuss Afghanistan, Iran, Israel-Palestine, and US domestic politics:

Afghanistan Iran