Freedom and Prosperity

Freedom and Prosperity

Do countries need freedom to achieve prosperity? Do democracies or autocracies have the better answers for the aspirations of their people? With the goal of increasing the prosperity of the poor and marginalized, the Atlantic Council is seeking to answer these defining questions and explore the relationship between freedom and prosperity in developing and developed nations.

The Freedom and Prosperity Center aims to increase the prosperity of the poor and marginalized in developing countries and to explore the nature of the relationship between freedom and prosperity in both developing and developed nations.

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Content

UkraineAlert

Jul 30, 2026

Ukraine’s reconstruction: Advancing from solidarity to shared strategic interests

By Olga Usenko

The future success of Ukraine's reconstruction will increasingly depend on Kyiv’s ability to promote participation in the country’s recovery not only as a moral imperative, but also as a shared economic and security interest, writes Olga Usenko.

Conflict Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Jul 29, 2026

Reversing Mexico’s economic and democratic decline

By Vanessa Rubio-Márquez

Now classified as a "low freedom" country in the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes, Mexico must reverse its institutional erosion to advance long-term prosperity. The lens of the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes offers an opportunity to overcome polarization and chart a path forward with fact-based analysis.

Economy & Business Freedom and Prosperity

UkraineAlert

Jul 28, 2026

Wartime Ukraine’s people power protests are Putin’s worst nightmare

By Peter Dickinson

Ukrainians have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. The protests are a reminder of the vibrant democratic culture that provoked Putin's invasion, writes Peter Dickinson.

Civil Society Conflict

UkraineAlert

Jul 16, 2026

Ukraine’s national recovery must go far beyond rebuilding what was lost

By Vitalii Kim

As international efforts to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine continue, it is also vital to look beyond the battlefield and address the issue of Ukraine’s recovery in order to create the conditions for a genuine national renewal, writes Vitalii Kim.

Conflict Critical Infrastructure Policy

Report

Jul 15, 2026

2026 Freedom and Prosperity Indexes: The legal foundations that enable prosperity are rapidly eroding

By Ignacio Campomanes, Nina Dannaoui-Johnson, Annie (Yu-Lin) Lee, James Mazzarella

Adherence to the rule of law has declined sharply since 2020. Drawing on thirty years of data across 171 countries, the 2026 Freedom and Prosperity Indexes show why that matters: without strong legal foundations, economic reforms stall, democracies erode, and prosperity stays out of reach for millions.

Freedom and Prosperity Rule of Law

Report

Jul 6, 2026

Supporting freedom, combating anti-US regimes: A democracy assistance agenda for 2026-2028

By Patrick Quirk

This report is the culminating publication of the Freedom and Prosperity Center's "The future of democracy assistance" series, which analyzes the many complex challenges to democracy around the world and highlights actionable policies that promote democratic governance.

Freedom and Prosperity Political Reform

UkraineAlert

Jul 6, 2026

A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine

By Oleksandr Tolokonnikov

A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine, with thousands of Ukrainian civilians facing severe risks to their lives, food shortages, and a lack of medical assistance, according to a new UN report.

Conflict Drones

AfricaSource

Jun 26, 2026

The ‘MCC Effect’ is real. The Trump administration must not overlook it.

By Richard K. Bell

Millennium Challenge Corporation and its scorecards-based model incentivizes countries to make reforms that are in the US interest, a former US ambassador argues.

Africa Economy & Business

UkraineAlert

Jun 23, 2026

Putin vowed to demilitarize Ukraine. Instead, he created a major military power.

By Peter Dickinson

When Putin launched the full-scale invasion in 2022, he identified the “demilitarization” of Ukraine as one his two primary war aims. It is now clear that he has failed in the most spectacular fashion imaginable, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Defense Policy

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
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Experts

Executive Leadership Intensive participant

Pavlo Bilodid

International Communications Lead, DTEK Group

Millennium Leadership Program

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Colin Buckley

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Freedom and Prosperity Inclusive Growth

Fellow

Alyssa Caver

Visiting Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Freedom and Prosperity Political Reform

Expert

Ji-Ting Chen

Visiting Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

China Freedom and Prosperity

Fellow

Michelle S. Giuda

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Freedom and Prosperity Politics & Diplomacy

Advisory Council member

Gordon Humphrey

Member, Freedom and Prosperity Center Advisory Council

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Disinformation Freedom and Prosperity
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