All timely commentary & analysis

New Atlanticist

Apr 4, 2018

A Blueprint for US Strategy in the Baltics

By Damon Wilson

Since regaining independence, the Baltic states have transformed themselves into some of Europe’s most dynamic economies with some of the fastest growth rates in Europe. Baltic societies are highly digitized and connected to the outside world. They are also committed to democratic values of openness, human rights, and rule of law. Today, these accomplishments face […]

NATO Northern Europe

New Atlanticist

Mar 10, 2018

The Trump Administration’s Sanctions Policy: Competence and Questions

By Daniel Fried

In a speech March 9 at the Atlantic Council, US Department of Treasury Undersecretary Sigal Mandelker, the Trump administration’s top sanctions official, confirmed that new Russia sanctions are being prepared, and suggested that they would target members of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s power structure. This was just one of the items covered in a half-day […]

Iran Korea

New Atlanticist

Mar 5, 2018

On Security, the Nordics Should Cooperate, not Compete

By Anna Wieslander

When Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven meets US president Donald J. Trump for the first time on March 6, security and defense collaboration will likely be at the top of the agenda. A number of Nordic leaders have already met with Trump, and in their first meeting, he and Löfven have an opportunity to ensure […]

Northern Europe

New Atlanticist

Feb 28, 2018

A Threat to May’s Unrealistic Brexit Stance

By Reginald Dale

British Prime Minister Theresa May is entrapped in a maze of blind alleys, self-delusion, and bitter divisions over the United Kingdom’s future relationship with the rest of the European Union (EU) after Britain is due to leave the EU in just over a year’s time—at precisely 11:00 p.m. on March 29, 2019. She will try […]

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Feb 23, 2018

Trump’s New Sanctions Hit North Korea Where it Hurts Most

By Ashish Kumar Sen

US President Donald J. Trump on February 23 announced that his administration has imposed what he described as the “largest-ever” set of new sanctions on North Korea. The US Treasury Department later announced measures to cut off sources of revenue and fuel that have helped North Korea advance its nuclear program. Treasury said the action […]

Korea

New Atlanticist

Feb 21, 2018

Why Sobchak is Wrong and Navalny is Right

By Daniel Vajdich

Ksenia Sobchak sees a “big double standard” in fellow Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s criticism of her decision to stand in the presidential elections in Russia on March 18. In December of 2017, Russia’s Central Electoral Commission determined that Navalny was ineligible to participate in the presidential election citing a sham corruption conviction.

Russia

New Atlanticist

Feb 16, 2018

Russians Charged with Meddling in 2016 US Election

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Thirteen Russians and three Russian entities have been indicted by a grand jury for interfering in the US presidential elections in 2016, US Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office said on February 16. The thirty-seven-page indictment alleges that Russians’ operations “included supporting the presidential campaign of then-candidate Donald J. Trump…and disparaging Hillary Clinton,” Trump’s Democratic opponent, […]

Russia

New Atlanticist

Feb 8, 2018

What’s the Deal?

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Atlantic Council analysts discuss agreement that could end political uncertainty in Germany German Chancellor Angela Merkel on February 7 moved a step closer to forming a coalition government that would include her conservative Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD). But first, more than 460,000 members of the SPD will need to approve […]

Germany

New Atlanticist

Feb 2, 2018

A Controversial Bill in Poland Would Make it Illegal to Use the Term ‘Polish Death Camps’

By Ashish Kumar Sen

On February 1 Poland’s Senate passed a controversial bill that would make it illegal to blame Poles for crimes committed by Nazi Germany. Violations would be punished by fines or prison sentences up to three years. Polish President Andrzej Duda has previously said that he will consider signing the measure into law. That would risk a […]

Poland

New Atlanticist

Jan 30, 2018

Kremlin Report: A Missed Opportunity to Check Russian Aggression

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The US Treasury Department’s decision not to slap sanctions on Russian oligarchs and officials, some with ties to the Kremlin, is a missed opportunity to check Russian aggression, according to the Atlantic Council’s Daniel Fried. “I think the [Trump] administration missed an opportunity [on January 29] to extend the use of sanctions to Russia’s aggressive […]

Russia