Insights and impact

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.

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Featured content

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

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Explore the podcast series

NATO 20/2020 Podcast

NATO 20/2020 is a weekly podcast that explores 20 bold ideas to push NATO to be more visionary, more capable, and more self-evidently valuable to the security of more people.

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.

Artwork by Peter Kuper

In the News

Dec 17, 2020

The Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center partners with LEADERS Magazine to dedicate an entire issue to resilience

For its Fall/Winter issue of 2020, LEADERS Magazine, asked the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center to produce an issue dedicated to resilience. The Resilience Issue assembles a broad range of global thought leaders and experts who are currently tackling the challenges and crises facing the world from different perspectives.

Insights & Impact

Mar 3, 2020

Peering Around the Corner: The Geopolitics of Coronavirus

By Atlantic Council

On February 11, 2020 the DFRLab hosted "Peering Around the Corner: The Geopolitics of Coronavirus," a timely series of panels on the potential geopolitical and economic consequences of Coronavirus, and how misinformation about the crisis may influence its impact.

China Disinformation

Program Impact Story

Feb 6, 2020

US energy priorities abroad: A conversation with US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette

By Global Energy Center

On Friday, February 7, 2020, the Atlantic Council hosted newly appointed US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette for a public address and moderated discussion about US government energy priorities abroad.

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Latest commentary and analysis

UkraineAlert

Oct 13, 2026

Putin snubs Trump’s ceasefire as Russia aims to make Ukraine unlivable

By Maksym Beznosiuk, William Dixon

Hours after US President Donald Trump’s surprise Sunday announcement of an energy ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, Russia responded by bombing a series of Ukrainian power plants, write Maksym Beznosiuk and William Dixon.

Conflict Drones

Econographics

Oct 13, 2026

How the trade war with Canada is hitting US states—and could sway midterm elections

By Madeline Chalecki and Delnaz Ghadiali

The United States and Canada have been locked in a trade war for over a month. And now, it’s becoming a political problem. Following US threats to impose 50 percent tariffs on about twenty billion dollars’ worth of imports, Ottawa and Washington began fierce negotiations. But the talks fell through, triggering a tit-for-tat, escalating trade […]

Economy & Business North America

GeoTech Cues

Oct 13, 2026

Why is electrification no longer “woke”?

By Mahmoud Abouelnaga

Once a culture-war issue, electrification is now an AI- and Iran war-era necessity.

Artificial Intelligence Energy & Environment
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Latest in-depth research and reports

Issue Brief

Oct 9, 2026

Enabling NATO’s technological transformation

By David Julazadeh

NATO faces persistent challenges in translating technological potential into operational capability. Recent analysis of NATO innovation efforts suggests that the limiting factor is often the ability of organizations and operators to adopt, experiment with, and implement new capabilities effectively.

Defense Industry Defense Technologies
Boats and tourists around Wat Arun in Bangkok.

Issue Brief

Oct 6, 2026

The new geoeconomics of Bretton Woods

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou, Martin Mühleisen, Nicole Goldin, Hung Tran, and Nisha Narayanan

Trade, investment, technology, finance, energy, and critical minerals are increasingly intertwined with national security. But globalization is not ending—it is becoming more contested and fragmented.

Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Oct 2, 2026

The risks of the strategic petroleum reserve’s four-decade low

By Jamie Webster and Morgan D. Bazilian

The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve has reached a historic low. As oil markets continue to tighten, refilling the reserve will become increasingly difficult.

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance
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Content

In the News

Mar 17, 2026

Saab published in The Atlantic on Washington’s role in Lebanon

By Atlantic Council

On March 17, Forward Defense nonresident senior fellow Bilal Saab published an article in The Atlantic, discussing how American diplomacy in Lebanon can support the Lebanese government in disarming Hezbollah. He argues that if the Lebanese government implements new measures to counter the group, Washington is well positioned to support it diplomatically and through military […]

Lebanon Security & Defense

Insights & Impact

Mar 16, 2026

Peterson in the Washington Post: I’ve seen several types of warfare. This is the worst.

By Atlantic Council

Conflict Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Mar 16, 2026

Donovan’s 2025 testimony on Iran’s laundering of oil proceeds in renminbi (RMB) cited in USCC China-Iran primer

Read the full primer here.

In the News

Mar 16, 2026

Costa in the Washington Post on military readiness in Iran

By Atlantic Council

On March 16, Forward Defense Director Joe Costa published an article in the Washington Post on the impacts of the war in Iran on US military readiness. Writing alongside Ely Ratner of the Marathon Initiative, Costa argues that the threat to readiness runs deeper than depleted stockpiles—deferred maintenance, equipment cannibalization, and broken dwell-to-deploy thresholds threaten […]

China Defense Policy

In the News

Mar 16, 2026

Kroenig interviewed on CNN on US action in Iran

By Atlantic Council

On March 13, Atlantic Council vice president and Scowcroft Center senior director Matthew Kroenig was interviewed on CNN on US action in Iran, arguing that President Trump is weakening the axis of aggressors and has clear strategic vision.

Iran Maritime Security

In the News

Mar 14, 2026

Kroenig quoted in The Atlantic on Trump’s foreign policy

By Atlantic Council

On March 13, Atlantic Council vice president and Scowcroft Center senior director Matthew Kroenig was quoted in The Atlantic about Trump's foreign policy.

Politics & Diplomacy United States and Canada

In the News

Mar 13, 2026

Lichfield quoted in Les Echos article on the success of America’s military operation in Iran vs. its lack of consideration for the aftermath

Read the full article here.

In the News

Mar 13, 2026

Charai for The Jerusalem Strategic Tribune: JD Vance and the Strategic Logic of Trump’s Foreign Policy

By Atlantic Council

Americas Middle East

In the News

Mar 13, 2026

Lichfield quoted in Bloomberg article discussing how countries are shielding their economies from Iran war shocks

Read full article here

In the News

Mar 12, 2026

Donovan and Nikoladze cited in FX Street article on central banks’ stockpiling of gold amidst fears of U.S. sanctions or a global financial crisis

Read the full article here.

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