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

Polish Prime Minister Says NATO Needs Larger Presence in Eastern Allies

Inflection Points
Jun 26, 2026

Secretary General Mark Rutte on Trump, Europe, and the future of NATO

By
Frederick Kempe

Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe sits down with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Washington.

Europe & Eurasia
NATO

Polish Prime Minister Says NATO Needs Larger Presence in Eastern Allies

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

Polish Prime Minister Says NATO Needs Larger Presence in Eastern Allies

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

featured events

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


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

Polish Prime Minister Says NATO Needs Larger Presence in Eastern Allies

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

Polish Prime Minister Says NATO Needs Larger Presence in Eastern Allies

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

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk

NATOSource

May 16, 2014

Polish Prime Minister Says NATO Needs Larger Presence in Eastern Allies

By Reuters

“If there is no readiness for a greater NATO presence in bordering countries of the European Union, it will mean NATO solidarity is only declarative,” [Polish Prime Minister Donald] Tusk said at a security conference in the Slovak capital.

NATO Poland

New Atlanticist

May 15, 2014

Ukraine’s May 25 Vote May Be Its Freest Yet, Despite Crisis, Election Official Says

By Irena Chalupa

Ukraine’s May 25 election, an event critical to strengthening the legitimacy of Ukraine’s government as it confronts attacks by Russia, may in some ways be the freest vote for a Ukrainian president since the country became independent 22 year ago, says Andriy Mahera, the deputy chairman of the country’s election commission. That’s because, for the […]

Russia Ukraine
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen with the Prime Ministers of the Visegrad countries

NATOSource

May 15, 2014

Rasmussen: NATO Members Need to Increase Their Defense Budgets

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

Twenty-five years ago, this part of Europe was the front-line in the fight for freedom. Barbed wire fences were cut. Walls came down. And freedom prevailed over force.

NATO Russia

In the News

May 15, 2014

Greene on Greek Effects on Eurozone Crisis

By Megen Greene

Bloomberg quotes Megan Greene, chief economist of Maverick Intelligence and a senior fellow in the Council’s Global Business and Economics Program, on the impact of Greek bonds on the Eurozone crisis:

European Union Greece
REUTERS/Alexander Khudotioply

New Atlanticist

May 15, 2014

In Ukraine’s East, the Cautious Middle Path of Oligarch-in-Chief Rinat Akhmetov

By Irena Chalupa and James Rupert

Business Magnate Speaks Out for Ukraine’s Unity, but Does Not Condemn Separatism What is Rinat Akhmetov’s vision for the future of his home region, the Donbas (Donetsk Basin) of southeastern Ukraine? As Ukraine’s wealthiest business magnate (worth $12 billion according to Forbes) and owner of mining, steel, and energy companies that form a pillar of […]

Russia Ukraine

New Atlanticist

May 15, 2014

Ukraine News Roundup | May 15

By Irena Chalupa

Nationalism Is Exactly What Ukraine Needs from The New Republic The Unraveling of Ukraine from Politico Inside East Ukraine’s Make-Believe Republics from The Daily Beast Anti-Semitism Is on the Rise in Russia—and the Kremlin’s TV Network Is in on It from The New Republic No, Putin didn’t plot to invade Ukraine. But now he might have […]

Ukraine

New Atlanticist

May 15, 2014

Bad Timing for Putin: He Would Have Preferred to Wait a Year on Ukraine

By Nikolas K. Gvosdev

Moscow May Have a Plan to Subvert Kyiv, But it Wasn’t for Launch in 2014 Whether the Kremlin is improvising in its confrontation with Ukraine or following a well-established plan, it is clear that the Putin administration had hoped to postpone the showdown for at least several years. The Russian government anticipated that former Ukrainian […]

Russia Ukraine
Norwegian frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen

NATOSource

May 14, 2014

Norway Deploys Frigate 10,000 Miles Around Globe to Participate in RIMPAC Exercise

By Ine Eriksen Søreide, Ministry of Defense of Norway

Today – May 12th 2014 – is a day worth remembering. The Norwegian frigate KNM Fridtjof Nansen departs for the Pacific to participate in world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise RIMPAC.

NATO Northern Europe
President Vladimir Putin with Russia's National Amateur Ice Hockey Team, May 10, 2014

NATOSource

May 14, 2014

Why Aren’t Sanctions Stopping Putin?

By Meghan L. O’Sullivan, Daily Beast

The West is threatening another round of sanctions against Russia in an effort to deter meddling in the May 25 presidential elections in Ukraine.

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance
Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey, May 14, 2014

NATOSource

May 14, 2014

US Chief of Defense: NATO Needs to Revisit the Meaning of Deterrence

By Martin Dempsey, Defense One

Dempsey: My personal view is that this is a moment for NATO to decide what it intends to be in the future.

NATO Russia
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Experts

Fellow

Deborah Cheverton

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Defense Industry

Fellow

Julie Chon

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoEconomics Center

Americas China

Executive Leadership Intensive participant

Janusz Cieszynski

Member of Parliament, Poland

Millennium Leadership Program

Eastern Europe Politics & Diplomacy

Fellow

Andrea Clabough

Nonresident Fellow

Global Energy Center

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment

Millennium fellow

Alexandra Clare

CEO and Co-Founder, Re:Coded

Millennium Leadership Program

Education Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Gavin Clough

2023-24 Senior US Navy Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Policy Eastern Europe
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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