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.

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Featured Reading

The Northern Syria “Safe Zone”

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

The Northern Syria “Safe Zone”

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

The Northern Syria “Safe Zone”

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

The Northern Syria “Safe Zone”

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

The Northern Syria “Safe Zone”

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

SyriaSource

Jul 27, 2015

The Northern Syria “Safe Zone”

By Frederic C. Hof

Reports of an American and Turkish agreement to close a sixty mile stretch of the Syria-Turkey border to the Islamic State (ISIL or ISIS) and to create—to an as yet undisclosed depth—a protected “safe zone” from the border south into Aleppo Province may signal a dramatic turn of Obama administration policy toward the crisis in […]

Syria Turkey

New Atlanticist

Jul 27, 2015

Turkey’s War in Syria: Of Kurds and Ways

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Deal envisages creation of ‘safe zone’ in Syria, allows US jets to use Turkish base A landmark agreement between the United States and Turkey—that allows US jets to use a Turkish air base to launch strikes against Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) militants and envisages the creation of a “safe zone” in war-ravaged […]

Syria Turkey
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Oct. 9, 2014

NATOSource

Jul 27, 2015

Turkey Requests Emergency NATO Meeting

By NATO

The North Atlantic Council, which includes the ambassadors of all 28 NATO Allies, will meet on Tuesday 28 July, following a request by Turkey to hold consultations under article 4 of NATO’s founding Washington Treaty.

NATO Security & Defense

In the News

Jul 27, 2015

Ricciardone on ISIS and Turkey

By Francis Ricciardone

Charlie Rose interviews Vice President and Rafik Hariri Center Director Francis J. Ricciardone in a segment on Turkey’s complicated conflict against both ISIS and the Kurdish Worker’s Party (PKK): 

Turkey

In the News

Jul 27, 2015

Stein on Turkish Airstrikes Against Kurdish Rebels

By Aaron Stein

Bloomberg Business quotes Rafik Hariri Center Nonresident Fellow Aaron Stein on the recent Turkish airstrikes targeting not only ISIS militants, but Kurdish rebels as well:

Turkey

UkraineAlert

Jul 27, 2015

Ukraine’s IDP Crisis Worsens as Local Attitudes Harden

By Kateryna Moroz and Olena Vynogradova

Ukraine officially has 1,381,953 internally displaced persons (IDPs), the country’s Ministry of Social Policy (MoSP) reported July 10. Overall, more than 2.3 million Ukrainians—including IDPs and those seeking refuge abroad—have been uprooted by conflict since March 2014. Yet the actual number of IDPs remains unknown and is likely to be higher, since the official figure […]

Ukraine

In the News

Jul 27, 2015

Ricciardone on Turkey Joining Anti-ISIS Fight

By Francis Ricciardone

US News and World Report quotes Vice President and Rafik Hariri Center Director Francis J. Ricciardone on why, despite Turkey joining the anti-ISIS fight, a true alliance between Turkey and the United States to tackle the Syrian problem is still evasive:

Syria Turkey

In the News

Jul 26, 2015

Herbst on the Ukrainian Military

By John E. Herbst

Defense News quotes Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Director John E. Herbst on the challenges the Ukrainian military faces in its quest to modernize its Soviet era forces:

Defense Industry Russia

In the News

Jul 25, 2015

Ricciardone on Turkey Expanding Air Campaign

By Francis J. Ricciardone

The National quotes Vice President and Rafik Hariri Center Director Francis J. Ricciardone on Turkey expanding its cross-border strikes against ISIS in Syria to include Kurdish militant bases in northern Iraq:

Iraq Syria

UkraineAlert

Jul 25, 2015

The Future of Ukraine’s Default

By Yuriy Gorodnichenko

On July 24, Ukraine paid a $120 million coupon to service its sovereign debt. In many ways, this event is a moment of truth: it signals that there is a prospect of reaching an agreement with Ukraine’s creditors. Earlier this year, Ukraine signed a major deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF agreed […]

Ukraine
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Experts

Fellow

James Hursch

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia NATO

Fellow

Valeriya Ionan

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center Europe Center

Digital Policy English

Fellow

Beniamino Irdi

Former Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Disinformation English

Millennium fellow

Ioan Istrate

Venture Adviser, Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, NATO

Millennium Leadership Program

Americas Eastern Europe

Fellow

Markus Jaeger

Senior Advisor

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Central Europe Economy & Business

Fellow

Ash Jain

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Europe & Eurasia Indo-Pacific
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Events

Online Event Wed, June 24, 2026 • 10:00 am ET

What is driving protests in the Western Balkans from Belgrade to Tirana
Civil Society Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy Resilience & Society
Public Event Wed, June 24, 2026 • 5:00 pm ET

Roberto Viola on the EU’s tech sovereignty agenda and US-EU cooperation
Artificial Intelligence Digital Policy European Union Politics & Diplomacy
Online Event Thu, June 25, 2026 • 1:45 pm ET

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the Ankara Summit Agenda

AN AC FRONT PAGE EVENT—NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte lays out his priorities for the upcoming Ankara summit.

Europe & Eurasia NATO United States and Canada
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