Security & Defense

The 75th anniversary of D-Day: The lessons we must draw from Normandy

By Dustin C. Richards

The most profound way to honor the sacrifice of those men and to secure their legacy of freedom and security is to never forget the monumental whole-of-nation effort that was required to beat back the tide of tyranny.

Seven dangers of engaging with the occupied Donbas—and opportunities for the new Ukrainian president

By Petro Burkovskyi

Ukraine’s new president says he wants to end the Russian-backed war in the country’s east. However, it won’t be easy. There are at least seven dangers of engaging with the occupied territories of the Donbas. The first danger is that a class of highly educated and trained leaders is completely absent. All key positions, whether […]

Private Roundtable on Iraq with DASD Mick Mulroy

On May 7, the Iraq Initiative hosted Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Michael “Mick” Mulroy for a private, off-the-record discussion on Iraq. Middle East Programs Director William F. Wechsler moderated the conversation.

The future of the Army in great-power competition

By Atlantic Council

On May 17, 2019, Secretary of the Army Mark T. Esper joined us to discuss “The Future of the Army in Great-Power Competition.” This event was part of the Commanders Series, which is the Atlantic Council’s flagship speakers’ forum for senior military and defense leaders. In both his keynote speech and his conversation with Defense […]

Balkans forward congressional fellowship staff delegation to the Balkans

By Atlantic Council

From May 25 to June 1, the Future Europe Initiative hosted a delegation of Congressional staff members on a trip to Kosovo, Albania, Serbia, and Montenegro as part of the Balkans Forward Congressional Fellowship. The delegation met with government officials, opposition party leaders, and civil society actors in each country to discuss domestic, regional, and […]

What Ukraine’s new president cannot afford to overlook

By Bohdan Nahaylo

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s resounding victory in April underscored Ukrainians’ desire for change. Proclaiming his commitment to overhauling the entire system, the new president has announced five short-term priorities: change the electoral law, restore criminal liability for unlawful enrichment, and remove the parliamentary immunity of deputies, as well as reform the legal system and eradicate corruption. […]

Ukraine inaugurates new president

By David J. Kramer and John E. Herbst

Wasting little time after winning Ukraine’s April 21 presidential election in a landslide, the country’s new president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, vowed in his inauguration speech on Monday to dissolve the parliament and hold early elections. After winning 73 percent of the vote in the second round, Zelenskiy may be hoping to ride the political wave, and […]

Critical questions for Ukraine’s new president

By Andreas Umland

Ukraine’s domestic politics will change fundamentally in 2019. On May 20, Volodymyr Zelenskiy was inaugurated as president of Ukraine. The country’s upcoming parliamentary elections this summer or autumn will likely reconfigure much of the governing elite, and lead to deep changes in the country’s legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Five major topics will keep Kyiv […]