Sorry, Trump, but Putin will not pursue peace until he is facing military defeat

MENASource Aug 25, 2024

After a failed attack, Hezbollah’s propaganda seeks to prevent a wider war with Israel

By David Daoud

Committed as Hezbollah is to saving its Gaza-based allies, the group does not currently want a full war with Israel.
Conflict Israel
Sorry, Trump, but Putin will not pursue peace until he is facing military defeat

New Atlanticist Aug 21, 2024

How quickly can Taiwan integrate US weapon systems? Speed is essential to help deter China.

By Adam Kozloski

To better prepare Taiwan to defend itself, the United States needs more transparency into Taipei’s weapons integration challenges.
Conflict Defense Policy
Sorry, Trump, but Putin will not pursue peace until he is facing military defeat

UkraineAlert Aug 21, 2024

Invasion? What invasion? Putin is downplaying Ukraine’s Kursk offensive

By Peter Dickinson

Vladimir Putin’s efforts to downplay Ukraine’s invasion of Russia have severely dented his strongman image and make a mockery of the West’s escalation fears, writes Peter Dickinson.
Conflict Defense Policy

Programs

The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security works to develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and the world.

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Content

UkraineAlert

Aug 21, 2025

Sorry, Trump, but Putin will not pursue peace until he is facing military defeat

By Elena Davlikanova, Yevhen Malik

Following the recent Alaska and White House summits, it should now be abundantly clear that Russia will continue to reject Trump’s peace overtures until Putin faces significantly more pressure to end the war, write Elena Davlikanova and Yevhen Malik.

Conflict European Union

Issue Brief

Aug 21, 2025

Addressing China’s military expansion in West Africa and beyond

By Tressa Guenov

As China expands its military reach in West Africa, the United States risks losing strategic ground on the continent. The next National Defense Strategy must confront China’s ambitions beyond the Indo-Pacific, balancing defense diplomacy, bilateral military relationships, and counterterrorism.

Africa China

Issue Brief

Aug 21, 2025

Winning through people: The human capital advantage in great-power competition

By Beth Foster and Alex Wagner

To maintain military readiness, deter conflict, and preserve its technological edge, the United States must prioritize human capital by investing in resilient service members and a skilled civilian workforce.

Defense Policy Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

New Atlanticist

Aug 21, 2025

Crisis management and resilience: Lessons from Latvia for NATO allies

By Heidi Hardt and Māris Cepurītis

Latvia’s experience offers an example of how a small state can respond to complex, hybrid crises.

Europe & Eurasia NATO

New Atlanticist

Aug 21, 2025

Israel’s Gaza City operation will leave it more isolated. It’s time for a course correction.

By Jonathan Panikoff

An operation to take Gaza City would mark a dramatic escalation in the conflict—and one with potentially irreversible costs to Israel’s alliances and reputation.

Conflict Israel

In the News

Aug 21, 2025

Warrick joins Al-Jazeera to discuss the possibility of a major increase in US humanitarian aid to Gaza

By Atlantic Council

Conflict Crisis Management

In the News

Aug 20, 2025

Kroenig in Foreign Policy urges Trump to play the nuclear card to end the war in Ukraine

By Atlantic Council

On August 18, Matthew Kroenig, Atlantic Council vice president and Scowcroft Center senior director, published an article in Foreign Policy titled “To Get Peace in Ukraine, Trump Should Play the Nuclear Card.” He argues that President Trump should ramp up nuclear threats as a negotiating strategy to end Russia’s war in Ukraine instead of increasing […]

Defense Policy Eastern Europe

New Atlanticist

Aug 20, 2025

Boulos’s family ties could help advance US national security interests in Libya

By Maureen Farrell

The Trump administration has an opening to bolster US ties with Libya, but it must empower career diplomats and traditional levers of statecraft to secure lasting agreements.

Defense Policy Economy & Business

In the News

Aug 20, 2025

Wieslander interviewed on TV4 Nyhetsmorgon

Anna Wieslander, Director for Northern Europe, appeared on Swedish TV program “Nyhetsmorgon”, Wednesday August 20, to comment on the developments in the negotiations for peace in Ukraine. Wieslander argues that Europe needs to do more to put pressure on Russia by transfering the frozen Russian state assets in European banks to a Ukrainian reconstruction fund […]

NATO Northern Europe

TURKEYSource

Aug 20, 2025

Transatlantic experts highlight the importance of growing US-Turkish defense ties

By Alp Ozen, Zeynep Egeli

On July 23 in Istanbul, on the sidelines of the International Defense Industry Fair, the Atlantic Council Turkey Program organized an event to discuss transatlantic defense relations and strategic cooperation in a region in flux, gathering business leaders, diplomats, and experts.

Defense Industry Defense Policy
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Experts

Fellow

LeAnne Noelani Howard

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Mahnaz Khan

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoTech Center

Geopolitics & Energy Security National Security

Fellow

Tatiana Gfoeller

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Arabic Central Asia

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Maeve Cuddy

Assistant Director

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Fellow

Russell Rumbaugh

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Policy Maritime Security

Fellow

Jeppe Kofod

Distinguished Fellow

Global Energy Center

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia
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Events

Public Event Wed, September 17, 2025 • 2:30 pm ET

Road to FIFA 2026: Strengthening homeland resilience ahead of the World Cup
Resilience & Society Security & Defense
Public Event Wed, October 8, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

2025 Energy & Defense Summit
Defense Policy Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance Geopolitics & Energy Security