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

Sep 3, 2015

Stein on Erdogan’s PKK Crackdown

By Aaron Stein

The Christian Science Monitor quotes Rafik Hariri Center Nonresident Fellow Aaron Stein on the political motivations of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s targeting of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK):

Turkey

In the News

Sep 3, 2015

Hausheer Ali on a Greater Role for Women in Saudi Arabia

By Stefanie Hausheer Ali

Bloomberg Businessweek quotes Rafik Hariri Center Associate Director Stefanie Hausheer Ali on the evolving role of women in Saudi Arabian society:

Saudi Arabia

In the News

Sep 3, 2015

Ullman: China: Bull, Bear, Competitor, or Adversary?

By Harlan Ullman

Atlantic Council Senior Adviser Harlan Ullman writes for the Daily Times on the validity of US threat assessments and evaluations regarding China:

China

In the News

Sep 3, 2015

Defense News Highlights Event with UK Minister for the Armed Forces

By Atlantic Council

Defense News covers an event hosted by the Atlantic Council featuring Minister of State for the Armed Forces Penny Mordaunt for a discussion on the future of the armed forces and the upcoming strategic defense and security review (SDSR):

United Kingdom

In the News

Sep 3, 2015

Shaffer: Russian S-300 Missiles to Iran: Groundhog Day or Game-Changer?

By Brenda Shaffer

Global Energy Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Brenda Shaffer cowrites for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy on the sale of Russian S-300 surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) to Iran: 

Iran Russia

In the News

Sep 3, 2015

Ricciardone on King Salman’s US Visit

By Francis J. Ricciardon

Vice President and Rafik Hariri Center Director Francis J. Ricciardone joins Voice of America to discuss potential topics of conversation between President Obama and King Salman of Saudi Arabia during his upcoming visit to the White House: 

Saudi Arabia

In the News

Sep 2, 2015

Slavin: Larijani: United States Must Fully Implement Nuclear Deal

By Barbara Slavin

South Asia Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Barbara Slavin interviews Iranian parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani on the Iran nuclear deal:  

Iran

In the News

Sep 2, 2015

Shaffer on Political Implications of Egypt’s Gas Discovery

By Brenda Shaffer

Foreign Policy quotes Global Energy Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Brenda Shaffer on the political impact of power outages in Egypt: 

North Africa

In the News

Sep 2, 2015

Aslund on Russia’s Currency and Economy

By Anders Aslund

The Wall Street Journal quotes Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Resident Senior Fellow Anders Aslund on the economic impact of the slipping Chinese market in Russia: 

China Economy & Business

In the News

Sep 2, 2015

Burwell on Europe’s Ongoing Migrant Crisis

By Frances Burwell

Vice President for European Union and Special Initiatives Frances G. Burwell joins NPR’s The Diane Rehm Show to discuss Europe’s ongoing migrant and refugee crisis and the future of open borders:

European Union International Organizations