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

Latest in-depth research and reports

Report

Sep 23, 2025

The critical minerals boom is an opportunity to integrate public health into mining operations

By Connor Gregory, Ciara M. Weets, and Rebecca Katz

Africa is central to the global push for cleaner energy, including the continent’s stocks of critical minerals that power green-energy technologies. But a race to extract more minerals poses public health risks, from the occupational hazards miners suffer to new disease outbreaks in mining camps. There’s a better course for investors and African governments.

Africa Economy & Business

Report

Sep 23, 2025

Natural gas has a small but important role in Africa’s energy transition

By Neil Ford

Limited access to electricity has long constrained both quality of life and economic growth across much of Africa. About 42 percent of the continent’s population still lives in homes without any access. While it is technically possible to rapidly increase African electrification rates through renewables, change on such a scale would require massive global investment that is not a realistic prospect in the foreseeable future. Africa’s untapped and associated gas reserves can provide part of the solution by supporting renewable energy in boosting electrification rates.

Africa Energy & Environment

Issue Brief

Sep 22, 2025

A three-pillar strategy for US democracy assistance in Central and Eastern Europe

By Stephen Nix and Megan Tamisiea

This paper is the first in the Freedom and Prosperity Center’s “Future of Democracy Assistance” series, which analyzes the many complex challenges to democracy around the world and highlights actionable policies that promote democratic governance.

Central Europe Democratic Transitions

Content

In the News

Jul 17, 2023

Kroenig and Ashford debate the potential of NATO membership for Ukraine

On July 14, Foreign Policy published its biweekly "It's Debatable" column featuring Scowcroft Center Vice President and Senior Director Matthew Kroenig and Emma Ashford assessing the latest news in international affairs.

NATO NATO Partnerships

In the News

Jul 17, 2023

Charai in the National Interest: Sweden’s NATO Accession Limits Putin’s Options

By Ahmed Charai

The Western powers are now more united with the Baltic nations than ever before. After months of diplomatic delays, Sweden can now join NATO—a genuine triumph for the Biden administration. This development has enormous geostrategic implications for the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Ahmed Charai is a Moroccan publisher and an Atlantic Council Board Director. He […]

Conflict Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Jul 17, 2023

“New Rules for Stablecoins and the Future of Payments” event featured in Politico

Read the full newsletter here.

Digital Currencies Digital Policy

In the News

Jul 17, 2023

Tran quoted in Reuters on Chinese export controls

Read the full article here.

China Economic Sanctions

In the News

Jul 17, 2023

Tantardini in Longitude on the future of human spaceflight

By Atlantic Council

Marco Tantardini discusses the future of human spaceflight.

China Economy & Business

In the News

Jul 17, 2023

Feldman-Piltch in Non-State Actress on Senate holds on military confirmations

By Maggie Feldman-Piltch

On July 17, Transatlantic Security Initiative nonresident senior fellow Maggie Feldman-Piltch wrote the latest edition of her project “Non-State Actress.” In this edition, Feldman-Piltch explained what it means when a single Senator holds up all military confirmations and promotions and the implications for American governance. The Non-State Actress project is made possible by generous support […]

Defense Technologies Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Jul 17, 2023

“New Rules for Stablecoins and the Future of Payments” event featured in Politico

Read the full newsletter here.

Digital Currencies Digital Policy

In the News

Jul 17, 2023

Graham quoted in the VOA on Russian sanctions evasion

Read the full article here.

China Economic Sanctions

In the News

Jul 16, 2023

Cohen in Forbes: Putin’s threats to Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power plant endangers energy transition

By Atlantic Council

Energy Transitions Nuclear Energy

In the News

Jul 16, 2023

Lipsky quoted in Business Insider on de-dollarization

Read the full article here.

Economy & Business Financial Regulation