Content

Dispatches

Aug 26, 2026

In an age of great-power competition, democracy is an advantage for the United States

By Markus Jaeger

The spread of democracy could give Washington an edge in great-power competition and make armed conflict less likely.

Americas China

UkraineAlert

Aug 25, 2026

Russia’s war will not end until Putin accepts Ukrainian independence

By Peter Dickinson

Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin is pursuing longstanding Russian imperial objectives in Ukraine and will not stop until he is forced to accept the irreversible reality of an independent Ukrainian state, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict European Union

UkraineAlert

Aug 25, 2026

A cultural renaissance is reshaping national identity in wartime Ukraine

By Davis Richardson

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine is fueling a defiant cultural outpouring that is redefining and strengthening Ukrainian national identity in ways that challenge centuries of Kremlin imperialism, writes Davis Richardson.

Civil Society Conflict

Dispatches

Aug 25, 2026

North Korean missiles are abetting Russia’s campaign to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses

By Zahar Hryniv

Russia’s war machine is now sustained by an authoritarian supply chain that includes North Korean weapons systems.

Conflict Korea

Econographics

Aug 25, 2026

Maritime trade routes are under threat—and markets still underprice the risks

By Alex Mills

Conflict, climate change, and geopolitical tensions are putting unprecedented pressure on the world's most important waterways. The economic costs are set to ripple far beyond the shipping industry.

Central America Economy & Business

Inflection Points

Aug 25, 2026

Threats to US global leadership are mounting: fiscally, militarily, and with allies

By Frederick Kempe

Rising national debt, the ongoing war in Iran, and the trade dispute with Canada are testing the United States’ global leadership.

Economy & Business Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

Dispatches

Aug 24, 2026

Experts react: Will Trump’s Operation Economic Outcast isolate Iran?

By Atlantic Council experts

Our experts weigh in on the US Treasury’s newest measures intended “to sever every remaining economic lifeline sustaining” the Iranian regime.

Conflict Economy & Business

Fast Thinking

Aug 24, 2026

Four scenarios for a looming global food crisis

By Atlantic Council

In this debut edition of Fast Foresight, we explore how the future could unfold into 2027, driven by the Strait of Hormuz impasse and the "super" El Niño.

Africa Climate Change & Climate Action

Dispatches

Aug 21, 2026

What it feels like under a Russian missile attack, and what the US can do about it

By Clara Kaluderovic

An Atlantic Council fellow shares her first-hand account of being under attack in Kyiv as ballistic missiles struck.

Conflict Politics & Diplomacy

In the News

Aug 21, 2026

Eftimiades interviewed on Restricted Handling on Chinese political influence campaigns

By Atlantic Council

On July 5, Forward Defense Nonresident Senior Fellow Nicholas Eftimiades was interviewed on the Restricted Handling podcast to discuss Chinese political influence campaigns and penetration of American critical infrastructure. He highlights the need for an American response strategy based on Beijing’s long-term intelligence strategy.

China Critical Infrastructure Policy

Experts

Events