Programs

At the intersection of economics, finance, and foreign policy, the GeoEconomics Center is a translation hub with the goal of helping shape a better global economic future.

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Featured Analysis

Gold’s geopolitical comeback: How physical and digital gold can be used to evade US sanctions

Econographics Jun 6, 2025

The search for safe assets

By Hung Tran

The deterioration of the US fiscal outlook has put international investors, especially foreign central banks, in a quandary. There is no good alternative to US Treasuries as safe reserve assets.
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia
Gold’s geopolitical comeback: How physical and digital gold can be used to evade US sanctions

Econographics May 29, 2025

After partial relief, what’s next for Syria sanctions?

By Alex Zerden

Syria remains a high-risk jurisdiction due to years of conflict, endemic corruption, state institution collapse, narcotrafficking of captagon, insufficient anti-money laundering efforts, and inadequate financing of terrorism controls.
Economic Sanctions Economy & Business
Gold’s geopolitical comeback: How physical and digital gold can be used to evade US sanctions

Sinographs Jun 2, 2025

Hong Kong highlights China’s policy of decoupling from US financial markets

By Jeremy Mark

The political benefits of an international financial center with Chinese characteristics will outweigh the pain that decoupling inflicts on China’s private sector.
China Economy & Business
Gold’s geopolitical comeback: How physical and digital gold can be used to evade US sanctions

New Atlanticist May 27, 2025

What’s the Trump administration’s dollar strategy? It depends on who you ask.

By Alisha Chhangani

Within the White House, there appear to be competing and fractured views of the dollar’s role. This dissonance could result in harm to the currency’s long-term dominance.
Digital Currencies Economy & Business
Gold’s geopolitical comeback: How physical and digital gold can be used to evade US sanctions

Issue Brief Jun 6, 2025

How Japanese economic statecraft has shifted from promotion to protection

By Charles Lichfield

Japan is in a geopolitically challenging neighborhood and is witnessing the basic tenets of its foreign policy—from alignment with the United States to fostering a rules-based environment—come under unprecedented stress.
East Asia Economic Sanctions
Gold’s geopolitical comeback: How physical and digital gold can be used to evade US sanctions

New Atlanticist Jun 6, 2025

Even as courts step in, Trump still has plenty of tariff options. US trading partners should intensify negotiations.

By Brian Janovitz

Section 301 may entail more work for the White House, but it could provide a relatively straightforward pathway to broad-based tariffs.
Economy & Business Politics & Diplomacy

In-Depth Research

In the News Nov 15, 2024

Avoiding Entanglement: G20 Responses in a Taiwan Crisis report cited by the Wall Street Journal on how China would respond to trade restrictions from the West

Read the full article here
Brazil China
Gold’s geopolitical comeback: How physical and digital gold can be used to evade US sanctions

Report Oct 22, 2024

The economic and social costs of the war in Gaza

By Perrihan Al-Riffai

After a year of war, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and neighboring countries need a permanent ceasefire. But with development gains erased, billions of dollars in infrastructure damaged, and skyrocketing unemployment, the Middle East also urgently needs a solid reconstruction plan.
Conflict Israel
Gold’s geopolitical comeback: How physical and digital gold can be used to evade US sanctions

Report Oct 9, 2024

End of the line: The cost of faltering reforms

By Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center and Rhodium Group

The China Pathfinder project examines whether China’s economy is converging or diverging with the world’s leading open market economies.
China Digital Policy
Gold’s geopolitical comeback: How physical and digital gold can be used to evade US sanctions

Issue Brief Sep 20, 2024

Toward a financial inclusion agenda for the global majority

By Nicole Goldin

Policymakers, investors, and innovators must advance a new financial inclusion agenda designed for the global majority.
Economy & Business Fiscal and Structural Reform
Gold’s geopolitical comeback: How physical and digital gold can be used to evade US sanctions

Report Sep 9, 2024

Sharing the post carbon economy means building a resilient EV supply chain

By Sarah Bauerle Danzman

In this report Sarah Bauerle Danzman advances the policy discussion by compiling trade, investment, and EV industrial policy data across the G20, and offers six recommendations to the G20 to build a resilient EV supply chain.
Brazil China
Gold’s geopolitical comeback: How physical and digital gold can be used to evade US sanctions

Report Jun 7, 2024

Reconstructing Ukraine at war: The journey to prosperity starts now

By John E. Herbst, Olga Khakova, Charles Lichfield

Rebuilding the Ukrainian economy after Russia’s full-scale invasion will be a monumental task. Reconstruction can’t wait for peace and must be a well-coordinated, inclusive process.
Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Read the latest from the GeoEconomics Center

New Atlanticist

Jun 16, 2025

Did Trump effectively nationalize US Steel with his ‘golden share’?

By Sarah Bauerle Danzman

The Atlantic Council’s Sarah Bauerle Danzman delves into the details of the recently finalized deal between Nippon Steel and US Steel.

Economy & Business Japan

New Atlanticist

Jun 15, 2025

Why tariffs on AI hardware could undermine US competitiveness

By Joseph Webster, Jessie Yin

Tariffs targeted at China have their uses in the US-China tech competition, but they shouldn’t be applied haphazardly to US allies and partners.

Artificial Intelligence China

New Atlanticist

Jun 12, 2025

Seven charts that will define Canada’s G7 Summit

By Atlantic Council

Our experts provide a look inside the numbers that will frame the high-stakes gathering of Group of Seven leaders in Alberta.

China Digital Policy
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Content

New Atlanticist

May 22, 2025

Gold’s geopolitical comeback: How physical and digital gold can be used to evade US sanctions

By Kimberly Donovan, Maia Nikoladze

The rise of gold-backed currencies that circumvent the US banking system could create a massive blind spot for US sanctions enforcement efforts.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

May 22, 2025

The case for a Three Seas Defense Innovation Hub

By Justina Budginaite-Froehly

Because of increasing threats to critical energy, transport, and digital infrastructure, the Three Seas Initiative should add defense innovation as another pillar of its mission.

Central Europe Eastern Europe

New Atlanticist

May 21, 2025

Europe is striking back at Russia’s shadow fleet. Here’s what to know about the latest EU and UK sanctions.

By Atlantic Council experts

This week, Brussels and London unveiled new sanctions against Russia and the fleet of oil tankers and other vessels covertly trading in Russian oil. Atlantic Council experts assess the moves.

Conflict Economic Sanctions

In the News

May 21, 2025

Kumar quoted by AFP on how Trump is shaping US ties with G7 countries

Read the full article here

Economy & Business European Union

In the News

May 21, 2025

Kumar quoted in Hindustan Times on the role of US trade negotiations in calming G7 uncertainty

Read the full article

Economy & Business International Financial Institutions

Report

May 20, 2025

The European Union Growth Plan for the Western Balkans: A reality test for EU enlargement

By Valbona Zeneli, Richard Grieveson, Isabelle Ioannides, Dimitar Bechev

EU enlargement faces a test case in the Western Balkans. The current plan offers real benefits before accession, creating incentives for reform, but questions of enforceability and the relatively low amount of financial support threaten the success of the EU's political influence in the region.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

UkraineAlert

May 20, 2025

US-Ukraine minerals deal creates potential for economic and security benefits

By Svitlana Kovalchuk

The recently signed US-Ukrainian minerals deal places bilateral ties on a new footing and creates opportunities for long-term strategic partnership, writes Svitlana Kovalchuk.

Conflict Defense Technologies

UkraineAlert

May 20, 2025

How to prevent Ukraine’s booming defense sector from fueling global insecurity

By Vitaliy Goncharuk

With the Ukrainian defense sector experiencing years of unprecedented growth in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion, it is important to prevent Ukraine’s innovative military technologies from fueling a new wave of international instability, writes Vitaliy Goncharuk.

Conflict Defense Industry

In the News

May 20, 2025

Kumar quoted by AFP on how Trump’s tariffs are weighing on the G7 finance ministers’ summit

Read the full article here

Economy & Business European Union

In the News

May 20, 2025

Tannebaum interviewed by Bloomberg on President Trump’s call with Putin and how the US can pressure Russia

Listen to the full interview here

Economic Sanctions Financial Regulation
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Experts

Fellow

Helena Fee Rasch

Visiting Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Jacobo Ramos Folch

Policy Manager, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Economy & Business

Fellow

Mark Mowrey

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Atlantic Council in Turkey

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Aminata Niang

Visiting Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Africa Future of Work

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Martin-Sebastian Abel

Co-Founder & Managing Director, TransitionPlan

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Economy & Business

Fellow

Christopher Aw

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Economy & Business Intelligence
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Events

Online Event Fri, June 20, 2025 • 10:30 am ET

Addressing China’s growing influence in Colombia
Colombia Economy & Business Geopolitics & Energy Security Latin America
Public Event Tue, June 24, 2025 • 3:00 pm ET

2025 Freedom and Prosperity Indexes launch
Eastern Europe Freedom and Prosperity Human Rights Inclusive Growth
Flagship Event Tue, September 30, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

2025 Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics

The Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics is an annual conference convening economic and financial leaders from both sides of the Atlantic.
Digital Policy Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia European Union