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

Turkey Moves Toward Helping Syria’s Kurds—and Calming Its Own

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

Turkey Moves Toward Helping Syria’s Kurds—and Calming Its Own

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

Turkey Moves Toward Helping Syria’s Kurds—and Calming Its Own

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

Turkey Moves Toward Helping Syria’s Kurds—and Calming Its Own

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

Turkey Moves Toward Helping Syria’s Kurds—and Calming Its Own

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

New Atlanticist

Oct 22, 2014

Turkey Moves Toward Helping Syria’s Kurds—and Calming Its Own

By Sabine Freizer

Ankara’s Handling of Syrian War Has Revived Its Own Kurdish Conflict Turkey’s promise Monday to let Iraqi Kurdish guerrillas cross its border to defend the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani against the Islamist army of ISIS provides a rare sign of hope for saving Turkey’s moribund peace process with its own Kurds. Turkey’s refusal until […]

Syria Turkey
Canadian CF-18, August 20, 2012

NATOSource

Oct 22, 2014

NATO Jets Intercept Russian Fighters Twice in Two Days Over Baltic

By Matti Huuhtanen, AP

NATO scrambled fighter jets – including two Canadian F-18s – twice in two days to intercept Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea, it said Tuesday amid reports that Russian military activity in the region is increasing.

NATO Northern Europe

In the News

Oct 21, 2014

Kordosova on US Pressure on Hungary

By Simona Kordosova

Brent Scowcroft Director Associate Director Simona Kordosova joins Euronews to discuss US pressure on Hungary over its alleged corruption: 

Hungary
Official handover ceremony at Kandahar Airfield

NATOSource

Oct 21, 2014

NATO hands-over Kandahar airfield

By Royal Air Force

After eight years of running Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan, NATO has formally handed over control to the United States at an end of mission ceremony.

Afghanistan International Security Assistance Force
UA and Lithuanian troops in exercise Saber Strike, June 12, 2014

NATOSource

Oct 21, 2014

Baltic Security: Tensions on the Frontier

By Richard Milne and Neil Buckley, Financial Times

“We cannot shut off our memories. We know from our past how aggressive Russia can be if there is no very clear and strict action from the west against this kind of aggression,” says Marko Mihkelson,

NATO Northern Europe
Swedish Chief of Defense Gen. Sverker Goranson and US Gen. Joseph Dunford at NATO HQ, May 14, 2013

NATOSource

Oct 21, 2014

Swedish Defense: Is NATO Inevitable?

By Editors of the Guardian

There is an element of farce about the latest submarine hunt in the Stockholm archipelago.

NATO NATO Partnerships

New Atlanticist

Oct 21, 2014

As US, Europe Confront Russia, Another Costly Dispute Is Set to Heat Up

By James Rupert

Russia Faces Deadline in Twelve Weeks to Pay Biggest-Ever Arbitration Penalty Just eighty-seven days before Russia is mandated to pay a $50 billion penalty to the former owners of the Yukos oil company, there is no public sign yet of a settlement in the dispute, raising the chances that courts in Europe and the US […]

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance
NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow at the Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate

NATOSource

Oct 20, 2014

Strengthening NATO-Gulf Cooperation

By Alexander Vershbow, NATO

NATO is playing its part too. We all stand with our Ally Turkey, which is literally on the front line. And while the air campaign is not a NATO operation, NATO Allies provide the bulk of the military assets that are now being deployed to degrade ISIL.

International Organizations NATO
Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko before Congress, Sept. 18, 2014

NATOSource

Oct 20, 2014

Give Ukraine the Weapons It Needs for Self-Defense

By Carl Levin and James Inhofe, Washington Post

We believe now is the time to add defensive military aid, including weapons, to our support of Ukraine.

Russia Ukraine

New Atlanticist

Oct 20, 2014

To Bolster Baltic States Against Russia’s Challenge, Here Is an Easy Victory

By Henrik Breitenbauch

An Impressive Nordic Defense Initiative Should Invite the Three Baltic Nations to Join As Russia’s attacks on Ukraine revive concerns about the security of its northwestern neighbors as well, last month’s NATO summit conference took two noteworthy steps, among others, to address the Russian danger. For one, the allies authorized a new quick-response force to […]

NATO Northern Europe
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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
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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