stay updated

Featured Reading

Populist gains are threatening Europe’s strategic coherence. Here’s how the EU can fight back.

New Atlanticist May 27, 2025

Do Trump’s criticisms of Putin mark a turning point in his Russia policy?

By John E. Herbst

On Sunday, the US president called his Russian counterpart “crazy” on social media, revealing an increasing impatience with Russia over its unwillingness to engage in US-led cease-fire talks.
Conflict Politics & Diplomacy
Populist gains are threatening Europe’s strategic coherence. Here’s how the EU can fight back.

Report May 20, 2025

The European Union Growth Plan for the Western Balkans: A reality test for EU enlargement

By Valbona Zeneli, Richard Grieveson, Isabelle Ioannides, Dimitar Bechev

EU enlargement faces a test case in the Western Balkans. The current plan offers real benefits before accession, creating incentives for reform, but questions of enforceability and the relatively low amount of financial support threaten the success of the EU’s political influence in the region.
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia
Populist gains are threatening Europe’s strategic coherence. Here’s how the EU can fight back.

Issue Brief Mar 5, 2025

The EU must become a strategic player in defense—alongside NATO

By Justina Budginaite-Froehly

The European Union and NATO need renewed alignment on defense to meet the new geopolitical moment. Refocused cooperation would provide a critically needed burden sharing to eliminate vulnerabilities and prepare Europe to withstand new realities.
Defense Industry Europe & Eurasia

featured events

Online Event Thu, March 20, 2025 • 9:30 am ET

The future of EU defense

Following the release of the European Union’s whitepaper on the future of European defense, an expert panel unpacks what role the EU should play in transatlantic security.
Europe & Eurasia European Union NATO Security & Defense
Online Event Tue, February 18, 2025 • 11:30 am ET

How long can Russia sustain its aggression in Ukraine?

The Eurasia Center discusses how the confluence of Russia’s war of attrition, economic decline, and energy damage impact the Russian Federation and its global standing.
Conflict Economic Sanctions Europe & Eurasia International Markets

The Russia Tomorrow series

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 challenged much of the common Western understanding of Russia. How can the world better understand Russia? What are the steps forward for Western policy? The Eurasia Center’s new “Russia Tomorrow” series seeks to reevaluate conceptions of Russia today and better prepare for its future tomorrow.

Read More

Russia Tomorrow

Unpacking Russia’s cyber nesting doll

by Justin Sherman

The latest report in the Atlantic Council’s Russia Tomorrow series explores Russia’s wartime cyber operations and broader cyber web.

In-depth Research & reports

Populist gains are threatening Europe’s strategic coherence. Here’s how the EU can fight back.

Report Mar 3, 2025

The art of the transatlantic deal

By Frances Burwell

The transatlantic relationship is shifting with US president Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Nevertheless, discreet deals across the US-EU trade, energy, and defense sectors are possible.
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia
Populist gains are threatening Europe’s strategic coherence. Here’s how the EU can fight back.

Russia Tomorrow Dec 17, 2024

The reluctant consensus: War and Russia’s public opinion

By Maria Snegovaya

A new Atlantic Council report explores Russian society’s consolidation around the Kremlin and the Russian public’s perception of Putin’s war on Ukraine.
Civil Society Europe & Eurasia

programs

The Europe Center promotes the transatlantic leadership and strategies required to ensure a strong Europe.

EXPLORE THE PROGRAM

The Eurasia Center’s mission is to enhance transatlantic cooperation in promoting stability, democratic values and prosperity in Eurasia, from Eastern Europe and Turkey in the West to the Caucasus, Russia and Central Asia in the East.

EXPLORE THE PROGRAM

The Atlantic Council in Turkey aims to promote and strengthen transatlantic engagement with the region by providing a high-level forum and pursuing programming to address the most important issues on energy, economics, security, and defense.

Learn more

Explore the Power Vertical podcast

The Power Vertical

The Power Vertical is a blog and podcast for Russia wonks and Kremlin watchers by Brian Whitmore. It covers emerging and developing trends in Russian politics, shining a spotlight on the high-stakes power struggles, machinations, and clashing interests that shape Kremlin policy today.

Explore the Debrief series

#AtlanticDebrief

#AtlanticDebrief hosts interviews with leading experts, policymakers, and newsmakers from both sides of the Atlantic to unpack the challenges and opportunities of the transatlantic relationship.

Explore the Series

#BalkansDebrief

The Atlantic Council Europe Center’s #BalkansDebrief series features timely conversations on key issues impacting the Western Balkans. Nonresident senior fellow Ilva Tare hosts newsmakers, experts, and officials for discussions on rule of law, energy security, cultural heritage, Russian and Chinese influence in the region, and more.

Explore the Series

Content

New Atlanticist

Jul 10, 2025

Populist gains are threatening Europe’s strategic coherence. Here’s how the EU can fight back.

By Sona Muzikarova

Far-right populist gains across Europe risk hindering the military buildup necessary to deter mounting security threats to the continent.

Central Europe Civil Society

Report

Jul 10, 2025

Exploring the global digital ID landscape

By Coley Felt, Will LaRivee

The worldwide adoption of digital identity systems varies significantly across regions and implementation approaches.

Africa Digital Policy

New Atlanticist

Jul 9, 2025

Dispatch from Svalbard: Tensions are simmering in the High North

By Tressa Guenov, Ian Brzezinski

A recent visit to the Norwegian archipelago revealed just how active Russia and China are in the High North.

Maritime Security NATO

UkraineAlert

Jul 8, 2025

Cautious optimism in Ukraine as Trump vows to send more weapons

By Peter Dickinson

Ukrainians have welcomed US President Donald Trump’s July 7 announcement that he intends to provide Ukraine with more weapons, but many remain deeply cynical over the longer term prospects for continued US support, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Drones

Event Recap

Jul 8, 2025

New findings: Russian aerial attacks amount to extermination and persecution

By Fatima Khan and Winnie Zheng

On June 25, 2025, the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center and Strategic Litigation Project, together with the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and the International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School (IHRC), hosted a hybrid panel discussion on new findings and policy implications surrounding Russian aerial attacks against Ukraine over the last three years. The event was moderated by […]

Civil Society Conflict

New Atlanticist

Jul 8, 2025

What really came out of this year’s BRICS summit?

By Valentina Sader, Ignacio Albe

Russia’s and China’s presidents were absent. But there were nonetheless several notable outcomes from the recent BRICS summit in Brazil.

Brazil China

Podcast

Jul 8, 2025

‘Death is our business’

By Alia Brahimi

In Season 2, Episode 12 of the Guns for Hire podcast, host Alia Brahimi is joined by the journalist John Lechner to discuss his new book, Death is Our Business: Russian Mercenaries and the New Era of Private Warfare.

Africa Russia

New Atlanticist

Jul 8, 2025

Europe has ideas for how to provide for its own security. The US should take notice.

By Katherine Johnson

Washington should recognize and embrace Europe's fresh ideas for how to provide for its own security, such as the European Defence Mechanism.

Defense Industry Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

Jul 8, 2025

Putin is winning the drone war as Russia overwhelms Ukraine’s defenses

By Maksym Beznosiuk

Russia is now winning the drone war against Ukraine thanks to a massive increase in domestic drone production and a series of technological upgrades, writes Maksym Beznosiuk. This is enabling Putin to dramatically escalate the bombardment of Ukrainian cities.

Conflict Defense Industry

New Atlanticist

Jul 7, 2025

Why the Pentagon’s ‘pause’ on weapons to Ukraine backfired

By John E. Herbst

The efforts by the “restrainers” in the administration to pause arms to Ukraine failed. But they are still in the game.

Defense Policy Politics & Diplomacy
Load More

Experts

Millennium fellow

Gurpreet Brar

Chief Operating Officer, Global Advisory & Global Client Leader, Edelman

Millennium Leadership Program

Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy

Fellow

Henrik Breitenbauch

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Danish Defense Industry

Staff

Peter Brooks

Consultant

GeoTech Center

Security & Defense Technology & Innovation

Fellow

Erik Brattberg

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Danish Digital Policy
Graham Brookie

Staff

Graham Brookie

Vice President and Senior Director

Atlantic Council Technology Programs

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Disinformation National Security

Fellow

Chris Brummer

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoEconomics Center

Digital Currencies Economic Sanctions
Load More

Events

Online Event Fri, July 11, 2025 • 10:30 am ET

What comes next for transatlantic trade
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia European Union Trade and tariffs
Online Event Mon, July 14, 2025 • 2:00 pm ET

Report launch: Russia’s future rulers
Corruption Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy Populism
Online Event Wed, July 16, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

Digital occupation: Inside Russia’s Telegram battle in Ukraine
Conflict Disinformation Europe & Eurasia Russia
Load More