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 Other Referendum in Eastern Ukraine

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

The Other Referendum in Eastern Ukraine

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 Other Referendum in Eastern Ukraine

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

The Other Referendum in Eastern Ukraine

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 Other Referendum in Eastern Ukraine

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

May 12, 2014

The Other Referendum in Eastern Ukraine

By Irena Chalupa

Amid the big news of the secessionist referendum in Donetsk and Luhansk, a second plebiscite, less noticed, asked voters in 14 districts whether they would prefer not to secede from those provinces, to remain part of Ukraine and under the rule of Kyiv.

Ukraine

New Atlanticist

May 12, 2014

Ukraine News Roundup | May 12

By Irena Chalupa

Ukraine: Part of America’s “Vital Interests”? from The National Interest The Battle in Ukraine Means Everything Fascism returns to the country it once destroyed from The New Republic  Russian History Is on Our Side: Putin Will Surely Screw Himself from The Daily Beast The Twitter War: Social Media’s Role in Ukraine Unrest Social media networks […]

Ukraine
REUTERS/Baz Ratner

UkraineAlert

May 12, 2014

DIRECT TRANSLATION: ‘How I Voted – Four Times – Against the Donetsk People’s Republic’

By Irena Chalupa

Russian-Sponsored Rebels Hold a ‘Referendum’ on Separation from Ukraine, But a Local Journalist Finds It a Farce Donetsk resident Ihnat Svyachyshyn sets off to vote in the May 11 Donetsk separatist referendum. He asks his neighbors, a couple in their mid-twenties to join him but they refuse. While they support a federalization of political power […]

Ukraine
REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

New Atlanticist

May 12, 2014

How Eastern Ukraine’s Chaotic ‘Referendum’ Might Reduce the Immediate Risk of War

By James Rupert

To Undercut Separatists, Kyiv Should Now Propose a Pro-Democratic Decentralization of Power Eastern Ukraine’s pro-Russian militants say yesterday’s chaotic simulation of a referendum gives them a popular mandate to secede from Ukraine. That claim, of course, won’t be taken seriously beyond the camp of the separatists and their Russian backers. But that exercise, along with […]

Russia Ukraine
Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, April 10, 2014

NATOSource

May 12, 2014

Czech Republic Wary of Permanently Hosting NATO Troops

By Robert Muller, Reuters

The Czech Republic does not favor hosting foreign NATO troops as part of the alliance’s plans to boost its eastern wing over the Ukraine crisis, its Defense minister said, in sharp contrast to some of its regional peers.

Central Europe NATO
REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvil

Article

May 12, 2014

A Twenty-Year Truce Has Brought No Peace in Nagorno-Karabakh

By Sabine Freizer

One of Europe’s Most Persistent Conflicts Simmers on in Ukraine’s Shadow Twenty years after Armenians and Azerbaijanis signed a truce in their war over Nagorno-Karabakh, almost no subsequent progress has been made in settling what is one of Europe’s most persistent remaining conflicts. Instead, especially in the past few years, sniper attacks, shelling and land […]

The Caucasus
Russian Presiden Vladimir Putin in Crimea, May 9, 2014

NATOSource

May 12, 2014

The Battle in Ukraine Means Everything

By Timothy Snyder, New Republic

The territory of today’s Ukraine can very easily be placed within every major epoch of the European past.

Europe & Eurasia European Union

In the News

May 12, 2014

Herbst: Future Sanctions Against Russia Could Impact European Economies

By John Herbst

US News and World Report quotes Eurasia Center Director John Herbst on the independence referendum held in eastern Ukraine:

Russia Ukraine

In the News

May 12, 2014

Koranyi: South Stream Pipeline Depends on EU-Russia Energy Relationship

By David Koranyi

Natural Gas Europe quotes Eurasia Center Deputy Director David Koranyi on challenges facing the South Stream pipeline:

Russia Ukraine

In the News

May 11, 2014

Herbst on Eastern Ukraine Independence Referendum

By John Herbst

Eurasia Center Director John Herbst joins CNBC to discuss the independence referendum held in Eastern Ukraine and why the results do not reflect general opinion in the region:

Russia Ukraine
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Experts

Fellow

Joseph T. Bonivel Jr.

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoTech Center

Cybersecurity Defense Technologies

Fellow

Tom Bonsundy-O’Bryan

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Africa Center Millennium Leadership Program

Africa Europe & Eurasia

Millennium fellow

Gurpreet Brar

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

Millennium Leadership Program

Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy

Fellow

Erik Brattberg

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Danish Digital Policy

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Inês Bravo Figueiredo

Co-President, Volt Portugal

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Economy & Business

Fellow

Henrik Breitenbauch

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Danish Defense Industry
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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