Politics & Diplomacy

Politics & Diplomacy

Healthy democratic societies are governed through the holding of elections, passage of policies through government institutions, and equal application of the law to all citizens. These activities influence not only the internal decisions of these societies, but also inform the ways countries interact with their regional and global neighbors, whether through direct bilateral ties or encompassed in larger international organizations.

Explore

Eurasia’s Captive Nations

New Atlanticist
Mar 18, 2025

The Gaza cease-fire is over. What’s next from Israel, Hamas, and the US?

By
Atlantic Council experts

In the early hours of March 18, Israel launched air strikes on Gaza, ending the two-month cease-fire. Atlantic Council experts answer pressing questions about the resumed conflict.

Conflict
Israel

Eurasia’s Captive Nations

New Atlanticist
Mar 17, 2025

Enough carrots for Putin. For better negotiations, serve ‘maximum pressure’ instead.

By
Benjamin L. Schmitt, Richard L. Morningstar, and Daniel Fried

Since Russia appears content for negotiations to move slowly, the Trump administration should turn up the pressure with new sanctions.

Conflict
Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

Eurasia’s Captive Nations

Issue Brief
Mar 13, 2025

Present without impact? How the Middle East perceives China’s diplomatic engagement

By
Jonathan Fulton

Despite economic advancements and high-profile diplomatic engagements, China’s influence remains largely economic rather than political, Jonathan Fulton argues.

China
Economy & Business

Content

New Atlanticist

Dec 4, 2013

Eurasia’s Captive Nations

By Damon Wilson

During the Cold War, against all odds and the tenets of realpolitik diplomacy, every White House and US Congress championed the cause of the ‘captive nations’ of central and eastern Europe locked behind the Iron Curtain. The accession over the next two decades of Poland, Estonia, and others to NATO and the European Union ended Cold War […]

Eastern Europe Europe & Eurasia

Report

Dec 4, 2013

Yemen’s economic agenda: Beyond short-term survival

By Danya Greenfield

A new Atlantic Council report, Yemen’s Economic Agenda: Beyond Short-Term Survival, argues that if the Yemeni government fails to prioritize progress on the economic front, the country’s democratic transition risks derailment and may witness renewed conflict. Prioritizing the economy has been postponed because of political uncertainty and security problems, but the status quo can no […]

Democratic Transitions Economy & Business

MENASource

Dec 3, 2013

Highlights from Egypt’s Draft Constitution (Part 2)

By Mai El-Sadany

On December 2, 2013, head of the fifty-member Constituent Assembly Amr Moussa presented the full text of the draft Constitution to interim president Adly Mansour, who is expected to approve it promptly. The draft comes into an Egypt that finds itself mired in political tension, unresolved issues of transitional justice, and attempted usurpations of the […]

North Africa Political Reform
2013122Constitution

MENASource

Dec 2, 2013

Highlights from Egypt’s Draft Constitution (Part 1)

By Mai El-Sadany

In preparation for a popular referendum which will take place on Egypt’s newest Constitution within thirty days of formal approval, the fifty-member Constituent Assembly appointed by interim President Adly Mansour began to vote on the full text of its draft Constitution on November 30, 2013. The work of the Assembly, which began on September 8, […]

North Africa Political Reform
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, October 22, 2013

NATOSource

Nov 30, 2013

NATO Secretary General: ‘Vilnius Summit is a Defining Moment’

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

I welcome the results of the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Nov 27, 2013

Ukraine’s Snubbing of Europe Sparks Political Crisis

By Taras Kuzio

Last Thursday’s government decision to cancel plans to seek an Association Agreement with the EU at the Vilnius summit of the Eastern Partnership, which starts tomorrow, has sparked a mass protest by one hundred thousand people in Kyiv that bring back memories of the Orange Revolution nine years ago. The EU had turned up the […]

Eastern Europe European Union

New Atlanticist

Nov 27, 2013

Britain Outside Europe? The US View

By Jeffrey Lightfoot and Tim Oliver

UK Withdrawal from the EU Would be a Double Loss Britain is one of the United States’ most important relationships, but Britain’s position within the EU is central to its importance. A UK exit from Europe would weaken the geopolitical position of Britain and change the EU and Europe in ways which could be detrimental […]

Europe & Eurasia European Union

New Atlanticist

Nov 25, 2013

Now for the hard part

By Matthew Kroenig

Early Sunday morning in Geneva, the P5+1 and Iran announced that they had reached an interim deal on Iran’s nuclear program. Many are heralding the agreement as an historic breakthrough, and the deal does indeed buy us time, but it is much too early to declare victory. Indeed, the Iranian nuclear crisis might still very […]

Iran Nuclear Nonproliferation

New Atlanticist

Nov 21, 2013

EU Needs to Rethink its Eastern Partnership Policy

By Taras Kuzio

The EU’s Eastern Partnership (EaP), unveiled four years ago to build better neighbourly relations with six former Soviet republics, is in crisis. The EaP was launched by EU members such as Sweden and Poland (with the backing of Britain) keen to promote enlargement into the former USSR. Although with this not possible due to widespread […]

Eastern Europe European Union

MENASource

Nov 21, 2013

Military Trials for Civilians: Justice Denied

By Mai El-Sadany

With discussions up to the last minute, the fifty-member Constituent Assembly, tasked with re-writing Egypt’s Constitution, has made a final decision on one of the body’s most contentious issues: military trials for civilians.  On November 20, the Assembly voted in favor of maintaining military trials for civilians, despite the significant implications that such a decision […]

North Africa Political Reform
Load More

Experts

Millennium fellow

Fatima Abbas

Director of Tribal and Native Affairs, Department of Treasury

Millennium Leadership Program

Politics & Diplomacy Rule of Law

Fellow

Nasredeen Abdulbari

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Project for Middle East Integration

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Africa Arabic

Fellow

Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley

Distinguished Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Middle East National Security

Fellow

Ahmed Aboudouh

Former Nonresident Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Arabic China

Fellow

Gbemisola Abudu

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Africa Center

Africa Economy & Business

Staff

Aalaa Abuzaakouk

Deputy Director, Millennium Leadership Program

Millennium Leadership Program

Arabic Civil Society
Load More

Events

Public Event Fri, June 12, 2026 • 4:30 pm ET

Privileged but Powerless: Jieun Baek on Pyongyang’s greatest weakness
East Asia Human Rights Indo-Pacific Korea
Public Event Mon, June 15, 2026 • 12:30 pm ET

How should the United States counter Russia and China’s hybrid warfare?
China East Asia Eastern Europe Europe & Eurasia
Public Event Mon, June 15, 2026 • 3:00 pm ET

The Power of Sports Embassy Dialogues: Panama and Croatia
Americas Europe & Eurasia Latin America Politics & Diplomacy