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

Gaddafi “mercenary” claim turns spotlight on role of special forces in Libya

Dispatches
Jul 9, 2026

Eleven takeaways from the NATO Summit in Ankara 

By
Atlantic Council experts

Atlantic Council experts break down the most important developments coming out of the Ankara summit.

Defense Industry
Defense Policy

Gaddafi “mercenary” claim turns spotlight on role of special forces in Libya

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

Gaddafi “mercenary” claim turns spotlight on role of special forces in Libya

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

Gaddafi “mercenary” claim turns spotlight on role of special forces in Libya

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

Gaddafi “mercenary” claim turns spotlight on role of special forces in Libya

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

NATOSource

Sep 20, 2011

Gaddafi “mercenary” claim turns spotlight on role of special forces in Libya

By David Brunnstrom and Giles Elgood,  Reuters

From David Brunnstrom and Giles Elgood,  Reuters:  A boast by Gaddafi loyalists that they had captured 17 foreign mercenaries this week has been greeted with skepticism, but the claim has highlighted the importance of covert military operations in the overthrow of the Libyan leader.

United Kingdom

NATOSource

Sep 19, 2011

Europe’s takeaway from Libya: “”Will the U.S. keep bailing us out?”

By the Wall Street Journal

From the Wall Street Journal: At the start, the U.S. led the military charge. America flew well over half the aerial raids—1,320 sorties in total—in the first two weeks after the U.N. Security Council voted in March to authorize the mission.

United Kingdom United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Sep 19, 2011

A Transatlantic Weakness to Avoid

By Carles Castello-Catchot

The transatlantic community is weaker and more divided than it has been in a century, sending shockwaves through a world accustomed to seeing the US and the EU lead by example on a global scale.

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

Sep 18, 2011

France is Europe’s U.S.A.

By Sam Schulman, the Weekly Standard

From Sam Schulman, the Weekly Standard:  As Maine is New England’s Texas, France is Europe’s U.S.A. It’s big. It’s ornery. Like us, the French are notably more inward-looking than Europe’s other populous, geographically big, and prosperous states.

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

Sep 18, 2011

Iranian leader warns Arabs not to trust US, NATO

By , the AP

From , the AP:  Iran’s top leader warned Arab nations swept up in uprisings against autocratic regimes not to allow the U.S. or NATO to influence the types of post-revolution political systems they form.

United Kingdom United States and Canada

NATOSource

Sep 18, 2011

Despite Transatlantic Political and Economic Turmoil, NATO Endures

By James Joyner, the Atlantic

From James Joyner, the Atlantic:  The German Marshall Fund has just released its annual Transatlantic Trends report, which measures U.S. and European public opinion on transatlantic issues and trends.

European Union International Organizations

Event Recap

Sep 16, 2011

Third Annual Members’ Conference: Can the United States Afford to be a Superpower? Can Europe be an Effective Ally?

By Jason Harmala

Summary of the town hall “Can the United States Afford to be a Superpower? Can Europe be an Effective Ally?” at the 2011 Annual Members’ Conference. Participants General Brent Scowcroft, USAF (Ret.),**^ Chairman, Atlantic Council International Advisory Board; former National Security Advisor General James L. Jones, USMC (Ret.),** Chairman-Designate, Atlantic Council Brent Scowcroft Center on […]

Europe & Eurasia NATO

Event Recap

Sep 16, 2011

Third Annual Members’ Conference – Russia 2012 and Beyond: Reset or Rewind?

By Adrienne Chuck

Summary of the town hall “Russia 2012 and Beyond: Reset or Rewind?” at the 2011 Annual Members’ Conference.   Participants Alexander Vershbow,* Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, United States Department of Defense; former United States Ambassador to NATO and to the Russian Federation Moderated by Annette Heuser,** Executive Director, Bertelsmann Foundation

Russia

Event Recap

Sep 16, 2011

Third Annual Members’ Conference – Doing Business in a Volatile World: The US and European Debt Crises

By Adrienne Chuck

Summary of the master class “Doing Business in a Volatile World: The US and European Debt Crises” at the 2011 Annual Members’ Conference. Participants Mikael Hagstroem,** Executive Vice President, SAS Philip Lader,** Non-Executive Chairman, WPP; former Ambassador of the United States to the Court of St. James’s Sean O’Keefe,** CEO, EADS North America Maciej Witucki,** […]

Economy & Business European Union

New Atlanticist

Sep 16, 2011

A Modest Proposal for Pan-European Defense

By Nikolas Gvosdev

The idea of intra-alliance military specialization in Europe is attractive in theory, but problematic in practice. Instead, officials should pursue a two-tiered pan-European defense force, which would facilitate deployment beyond Europe and improve effeciency using economies of scale. The recent candid remarks by Stefan Wallin, Finland’s defense minister, that conditions of growing austerity might require […]

European Union International Organizations
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Experts

Millennium fellow

Georg Philipp Ettstaller

Director and Investment Banker, Credit Suisse Securities

Millennium Leadership Program

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

David F. Helvey

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Zoltán Fehér

Nonresident Fellow

Global China Hub

Central Europe China

Staff

Jonah Fisher

Senior Director

Millennium Leadership Program

Arabic Central Europe

Fellow

Edward Fishman

Former Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Russia Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

Staff

Jörn Fleck

Senior Director

Europe Center Transform Europe Initiative

Digital Policy Economy & Business
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Events

Public Event Fri, July 17, 2026 • 10:00 am ET

The NATO Summit and the future of US-Turkish defense relations
Europe & Eurasia Middle East NATO NATO Partnerships
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