Issue briefs and reports

Issue briefs and reports

Our programs and centers deliver in-depth, highly relevant issue briefs and reports that break new ground, shift opinions, and set agendas on public policy, with a focus on advancing debates by integrating foundational research and analysis with concrete policy solutions.

Perspectives from the 2026 CEO Dialogue

Report Mar 30, 2026

How the West lost the post-Cold War era

By Brian Whitmore

The latest Atlantic Council Eurasia Center report examines the lessons from the post-Cold War period and what the United States and its allies can do to counter Russian revanchism today.
Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy
Perspectives from the 2026 CEO Dialogue

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series Feb 10, 2026

Global Foresight 2036

In this year’s Global Foresight edition, our experts share findings from our survey of geostrategists on how human affairs could unfold over the next decade. Our scholars spot “snow leopards” that could have major unexpected impacts over the next decade. And our tech experts put AI’s forecasting ability to the test.
Africa Central Asia
Perspectives from the 2026 CEO Dialogue

Issue Brief Mar 19, 2026

Federal agencies under pressure need smarter systems, not tougher people

By Caitlin Thompson

Resilience is an important trait for national security practitioners, but it is not a solution for problems with agency and department design. Better systems and strategies can ensure that individuals are fully prepared and ready to respond to crises, rather than consistently under strain.
National Security Resilience

Content

Issue Brief

Jun 24, 2026

Perspectives from the 2026 CEO Dialogue

By Nour Dabboussi, Joze Pelayo, Manal Fatima, David Maloney, Khalid Azim

The Atlantic Council’s MENA Futures Lab hosted a group of more than thirty business leaders, academics, analysts from international organizations, and policymakers for the CEO Dialogue in the lead up to the World Governments Summit in Dubai. The insights shared there reflect trends in AI, supply chain resilience, and more.

Artificial Intelligence Economy & Business

Report

Jun 23, 2026

Balancing openness and control: Cross-border health data and AI governance in China

By Kenton Thibaut

In China, health data is no longer just a medical resource—it is a strategic asset at the center of AI competition.

Artificial Intelligence China

Issue Brief

Jun 18, 2026

The case for a US Northeast Asia Command

By Christopher Lee, Ben Blane, and Markus Garlauskas

To maximize its deterrent and warfighting effectiveness in the Indo-Pacific region, the United States must reform its military command-and-control structure in Northeast Asia.

Arms Control East Asia

Report

Jun 16, 2026

Financing the end of the digital divide

By Kenton Thibaut, Jochai Ben-Avie

Digital connectivity has become a strategic geopolitical contest shaping the future of the global internet. This report examines China’s global digital infrastructure investments and the ways that the United States and its allies can leverage blended finance, partnerships, and policy to close the digital divide while offering a credible alternative to China’s expanding digital influence.

China Digital Policy

Issue Brief

Jun 15, 2026

Updating the Democratic Transition Framework to chart a way forward in Venezuela

By Geoff Ramsey

To seize the opportunity for a democratic transition in Venezuela in the wake of Nicolás Maduro's January capture, the United States should update a power-sharing framework proposed in 2020 to serve as a road map for the restoration of Venezuela’s democratic institutions.

Americas Democratic Transitions

Issue Brief

Jun 12, 2026

A renewed security and cooperation agenda for Colombia’s next government

By the US–Colombia Strategic Alignment Coalition

As Colombia heads to its presidential runoff election June 21, the next government will inherit a security crisis that requires a renewed US-Colombia agenda for dismantling criminal governance structures and the financial networks that sustain them.

Americas Colombia

Issue Brief

Jun 11, 2026

To stop Chinese dual-use battery dominance, the United States and South Korea need to team up

By Joseph Webster, Alvin Camba, Emily E. Kim

Should China establish a global monopoly across battery supply chains, the military, strategic, and commercial implications for the US-ROK alliance will be profound.

China Critical Minerals
Cover Credit: NATO. German Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons fly over a remote stretch of Iceland while training with the Swedish Air Force as part of NATO’s Arctic Sentry activity. Arctic Sentry is a NATO vigilance activity aimed at enhancing security in the north, helping to make the Alliance safer. As part of this initiative, Sweden deployed a detachment of six Gripens to Keflavik Air Base to safeguard Icelandic airspace against threats or intrusions. Their deployment is also part of NATO’s Iceland Air Policing mission, marking the first time Sweden has led an air policing mission since joining NATO two years ago as its 32nd member. During their deployment, fighters from the Royal Danish Air Force and the German Air Force joined them for integration training. Situated in the middle of the North Atlantic, Iceland plays a vital role in helping Allies maintain situational awareness in the High North. Photo courtesy of the German Air Force.

Report

Jun 10, 2026

The future of NATO’s deterrence in the air domain

By Edward Brady

European NATO member states need to prepare to deter, and if necessary, defeat Russia—with less US support. When it comes to airpower, here are the actions European states need to take in the short, medium, and long term. 

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

Report

Jun 10, 2026

From diversification to integration: A market-based LNG coordination mechanism in Europe

By Michał Kurtyka, Marcin Gawęda, and Lisa Basquel

Europe successfully diversified its LNG supply in a short period, but long-term energy security requires a structural redesign of how European gas markets are organized, priced, and supplied.

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

Issue Brief

Jun 9, 2026

How global authoritarians sustain inequality

By Deng Liu

Authoritarian leaders across the world use targeted strategies to sustain inequality. But developing countries should instead pull from a variety of existing development models to create societal prosperity.

East Asia Freedom and Prosperity
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