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

Aug 26, 2015

Blanford: In Syria Border Town, Battle Intensifies After Mistrust Sinks Cease-Fire

By Nicholas Blanford

Middle East Peace and Security Initiative Nonresident Senior Fellow Nicholas Blanford writes for Christian Science Monitor on the disintegration of a temporary peace between Hezbollah fighters and anti-Assad rebels in the Syrian border town of Zabadani: 

Syria

In the News

Aug 26, 2015

Metzl on China’s Economic Turmoil

By Jamie Metzl

Brent Scowcroft Center Nonresident Senior Fellow for Technology and National Security Jamie Metzl joins CNN to discuss China’s response to its economic turmoil: 

China

In the News

Aug 26, 2015

Nordenman: The Changing Global Maritime Domain and What It Means For NATO

By Magnus Nordenman

Brent Scowcroft Center Deputy Director Magnus Nordenman writes for Atlantic Voices on the changing dynamics of the maritime domain: 

In the News

Aug 26, 2015

Ward: GOP Presidential Hopefuls Are Ignoring the Most Serious Foreign Policy Questions Of Our Era

By Alex Ward

Brent Scowcroft Center Assistant Director Alex Ward writes for War on the Rocks on the increasing gap between issues republican voters want to discuss and the rhetoric of the 2016 GOP presidential candidates:

In the News

Aug 26, 2015

Joyner: The Inter-Service Wars Are Looking Like Calvinball

By James Joyner

Brent Scowcroft Center Nonresident Senior Fellow James Joyner writes for War on the Rocks cautioning the US military’s recent battle strategy: 

In the News

Aug 26, 2015

Montanino on European Economics

By Andrea Montanino

Global Business and Economics Program Director Andrea Montanino joins Deutsche Welle to discuss whether the Euro unites or divides Europe:

European Union International Organizations

In the News

Aug 25, 2015

Stein: New Allies against ISIS Pose New Threats

By Aaron Stein

Rafik Hariri Center Nonresident Fellow Aaron Stein writes for the Financial Times on how the current strategy for combatting ISIS, even if successful, could lead to future discontent in the Middle East:

In the News

Aug 25, 2015

Montanino on China’s Economy

By Andrea Montanino

Italian language daily newspaper Quotidiano Nazionale interviews Global Business and Economics Program Director Andrea Montanino on the Chinese economy’s current instability: 

China

In the News

Aug 25, 2015

Aslund on Ukrainian President Poroshenko

By Anders Aslund

Foreign Policy cites Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Resident Senior Fellow Anders Aslund on the influence of big business in Ukraine:

Ukraine

In the News

Aug 25, 2015

Cunningham: Why Afghanistan Matters for United States

By James B. Cunningham

Zalmay Khalilzad Chair on Afghanistan and former US Ambassador to Afghanistan James B. Cunningham cowrites for CNN with former US Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker on the need for the United States to continue to be an engaged partner with Afghanistan:

Afghanistan