Europe & Eurasia

Europe & Eurasia

Stretching from the shores of the Atlantic to the mountains of Central Asia, the European and Eurasian landmass contains both some of the most stable and wealthy countries in the world, as well as some of the poorest and those led by repressive regimes. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched in 2022 has transformed the region’s security and launched economic, political, and defense issues into the global limelight, emphasizing the necessity of increased regional and transatlantic cooperation.

Explore

stay updated


Featured Reading

NATO Treats Poland Like a Buffer State, Says New President

Dispatches
May 22, 2026

Washington’s latest force posture moves have Europeans feeling whiplash

By
Daniel Fried, Torrey Taussig

The announcement on sending US troops to Poland didn’t stop Washington’s other force posture decisions from generating concern among NATO allies.

Eastern Europe
Europe & Eurasia

NATO Treats Poland Like a Buffer State, Says New President

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series
May 13, 2026

A US and allied strategy for Greenland

By
the Atlantic Council Task Force on Greenland

After US rhetoric about taking control of Greenland exacerbated tensions between Washington and European allies in January, the US, Greenland, and Denmark opened discussions about the US presence in the autonomous territory. In parallel, the Atlantic Council’s Task Force on Greenland brought together transatlantic expertise to explore the underlying issues and find a productive path forward.

Greenland
Northern Europe

NATO Treats Poland Like a Buffer State, Says New President

Issue Brief
May 8, 2026

Can Friedrich Merz’s chancellorship survive?

By
Phyllis Berry

One year into his chancellorship, Friedrich Merz heads a government beset by economic stagnation, low public approval, and coalition tensions.

Economy & Business
Elections

featured events

Public Event
Fri, April 17, 2026 • 11:45 am ET

The British ambassador to the US on Euro-Atlantic security and the Middle East

British Ambassador to the United States Sir Christian Turner joins the Atlantic Council to discuss the UK’s ongoing diplomatic efforts in the Middle East and its vision for the future of Euro-Atlantic security cooperation.

Europe & Eurasia
Iran
Middle East
NATO


Public Event
Wed, November 19, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

Intent to destroy: Confronting Russia’s campaign to erase Ukraine and its people

In this conference hosted by the Strategic Litigation Project and the Eurasia Center, experts will identify strategies to halt Russia’s campaign of atrocities against the Ukrainian people.

Civil Society
Conflict
Crisis Management
Security & Defense


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

The CRINK: Inside the new bloc supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine

by Angela Stent

The latest report in the Atlantic Council’s Russia Tomorrow series details how Russia’s war against Ukraine has brought together a new set of partners–united not by shared values, but by shared grievances–on the international stage: China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

In-depth Research & reports

NATO Treats Poland Like a Buffer State, Says New President

Russia Tomorrow
Dec 12, 2025

The Russian economy in 2025: Between stagnation and militarization 

By
Elina Ribakova, Lucas Risinger

The latest report in the Atlantic Council’s Russia Tomorrow series examines the Russian wartime economy.

Economy & Business
Europe & Eurasia

NATO Treats Poland Like a Buffer State, Says New President

Report
Jan 14, 2026

Digital sovereignty: Europe’s declaration of independence?

By
Frances Burwell, Kenneth Propp

In Brussels, “digital sovereignty” may be the new “strategic autonomy”: a push for Europe to go its own way and depend less on the United States. As US tech companies and EU regulators clash, catch up on a policy debate with consequences playing out online and in the halls of power.

Digital Policy
Economy & Business

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

Within the Atlantic Council’s longstanding commitment to strengthening the transatlantic relationship, the Atlantic Council Turkey Program conducts research, provides thought leadership, and offers a platform for strategic dialogue between the US, Turkey, and NATO allies to address the region’s toughest challenges and explore opportunities, including in the fields of energy, business & trade, technology, defense, and security.

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

Polish President Andrzej Duda, September 12, 2013

NATOSource

Aug 13, 2015

NATO Treats Poland Like a Buffer State, Says New President

By Henry Foy, Financial Times

Polish president Andrzej Duda has criticised Nato for treating Poland like a “buffer zone” rather than a fully fledged member facing a resurgent Russia and urged the alliance to place permanent bases in the former Soviet bloc country.

NATO Poland

In the News

Aug 13, 2015

RTT News Features State Department Installation of Berlin Wall

By Atlantic Council

RTT News features the installation of a segment of the Berlin Wall at the future home of the US State Department’s Diplomacy Center museum, made possible by the Atlantic Council and the German-based Verbundnetz Gas AG:

Germany

UkraineAlert

Aug 13, 2015

Russia’s Occupation of Ukraine Still Top Threat to Global Security

By Stephen Blank

Recent articles in the US media suggest that the Pentagon is “rebalancing” its forces towards Europe to meet the Russian challenge. At the same time, NATO plans to halve the number of air patrols over the Baltic. Supposedly the Russian threat to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania has ebbed, and governments are finally stepping up to […]

NATO Russia

New Atlanticist

Aug 12, 2015

Al Qaeda Affiliate Gets Out of the Way in Syria

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Nusra Front’s decision to leave frontlines against ISIS facilitates a US-Turkish agreement on a safe zone in northern Syria, says Atlantic Council’s Faysal Itani By deciding to quit frontline positions against the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) in northern Syria, al Qaeda-affiliate Nusra Front has made a US-Turkish agreement on establishing a safe […]

National Security Security & Defense

In the News

Aug 12, 2015

Karatnycky on Ukraine’s Book Ban

By Adrian Karatnycky

Transatlantic Relations Program Nonresident Senior Fellow Adrian Karatnycky joins The Takeaway to discuss Ukraine’s ban on thirty-eight Russian books:

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Aug 12, 2015

How Mr. X Outsmarted Mr. Kvit: The Lopsided Progress of Ukraine’s Education Reforms

By Kateryna Smagliy

Let me tell you the story of Mr. X—a student whom I had never seen in class, and who had not shown up for any of his final exams. “Oh, do not worry,” his fellow students reassured me, “it has been like this year in year out.” I could have easily forgotten this trivial episode […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Aug 12, 2015

Ukraine Crisis Is Not Only About Ukraine

By Andreas Umland

The Ukraine crisis is not only about Ukraine. Far more urgent for humanity as a whole are the commitments made by Russia and other UN Security Council members with regard to Ukraine’s accession to the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT) following the Soviet Union’s collapse. The NPT aims to curtail the spread of weapons […]

Russia Ukraine

New Atlanticist

Aug 11, 2015

Is Turkey’s War on PKK Hurting US Alliance Against ISIS?

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Atlantic Council’s Francis J. Ricciardone says Turkey is making a distinction between Kurdish groups in Iraq and Syria The US-Turkish alliance against the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) complicates but need not impede, and might even ease,  the United States’ military partnership with a Syria-based Kurdish group that has been instrumental in the […]

National Security Security & Defense

In the News

Aug 11, 2015

Czuperski on MH17

By Maksymilian Czuperski

Special Assistant to the President and CEO Maksymilian Czuperski joins Voice of America Ukraine to discuss MH17 and the potential that fragments from the crash site could be from a Russian-made missile:

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Aug 11, 2015

Even After Iran Deal, Putin Won’t Get His Way in Ukraine

By John E. Herbst

Ever since US Secretary of State John Kerry visited Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi last May, Ukraine’s friends have been concerned that in its eagerness to ensure Kremlin support for a deal with Iran, the White House was willing to let Putin have his way in Ukraine. Advocates of this outlook point to five […]

Iran Russia
Load More

Experts

Executive Leadership Intensive participant

Mika Abdullaeva

Senior Advisor, Department of State

Central Asia Resilience & Society

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Martin-Sebastian Abel

Co-Founder & Managing Director, TransitionPlan

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Economy & Business

Fellow

Mahmoud Abouelnaga

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoTech Center

Africa Americas

Millennium fellow

Ramzi Abunemreh

Architectural Manager, Consolidated Contractors Company

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Asia Economy & Business

Fellow

Elliot Ackerman

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Defense Policy

Fellow

Didier Acouetey

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Africa Center

Africa Economy & Business
Load More

Events

Flagship Event Fri, December 11, 2026 • 8:30 am ET

2026 Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics

The Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics is an annual flagship convening focused on issues at the nexus of economics, finance, foreign policy, and national security.
Digital Policy Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia European Union