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Featured Reading

Putin uses NATO as an excuse for his war against Ukrainian statehood

New Atlanticist Apr 21, 2025

Four contests for democracy in Europe challenge the narrative of advancing authoritarianism

By Daniel Fried

In Georgia, Hungary, Serbia, and Turkey, pro-democracy demonstrators are taking to the streets in massive numbers. But how long will the upsurge last?
Democratic Transitions Europe & Eurasia
Putin uses NATO as an excuse for his war against Ukrainian statehood

New Atlanticist Mar 17, 2025

Enough carrots for Putin. For better negotiations, serve ‘maximum pressure’ instead.

By Benjamin L. Schmitt, Richard L. Morningstar, and Daniel Fried

Since Russia appears content for negotiations to move slowly, the Trump administration should turn up the pressure with new sanctions.
Conflict Economic Sanctions
Putin uses NATO as an excuse for his war against Ukrainian statehood

Issue Brief Mar 5, 2025

The EU must become a strategic player in defense—alongside NATO

By Justina Budginaite-Froehly

The European Union and NATO need renewed alignment on defense to meet the new geopolitical moment. Refocused cooperation would provide a critically needed burden sharing to eliminate vulnerabilities and prepare Europe to withstand new realities.
Defense Industry Europe & Eurasia

featured events

Online Event Thu, March 20, 2025 • 9:30 am ET

The future of EU defense

Following the release of the European Union’s whitepaper on the future of European defense, an expert panel unpacks what role the EU should play in transatlantic security.
Europe & Eurasia European Union NATO Security & Defense
Online Event Tue, February 18, 2025 • 11:30 am ET

How long can Russia sustain its aggression in Ukraine?

The Eurasia Center discusses how the confluence of Russia’s war of attrition, economic decline, and energy damage impact the Russian Federation and its global standing.
Conflict Economic Sanctions Europe & Eurasia International Markets

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 reluctant consensus: War and Russia’s public opinion

by Maria Snegovaya

A new Atlantic Council report explores Russian society’s consolidation around the Kremlin and the Russian public’s perception of Putin’s war on Ukraine.

In-depth Research & reports

Putin uses NATO as an excuse for his war against Ukrainian statehood

Report Mar 3, 2025

The art of the transatlantic deal

By Frances Burwell

The transatlantic relationship is shifting with US president Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Nevertheless, discreet deals across the US-EU trade, energy, and defense sectors are possible.
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia
Putin uses NATO as an excuse for his war against Ukrainian statehood

Report Jun 7, 2024

Reconstructing Ukraine at war: The journey to prosperity starts now

By John E. Herbst, Olga Khakova, Charles Lichfield

Rebuilding the Ukrainian economy after Russia’s full-scale invasion will be a monumental task. Reconstruction can’t wait for peace and must be a well-coordinated, inclusive process.
Economy & Business Energy & Environment

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

The Atlantic Council in Turkey aims to promote and strengthen transatlantic engagement with the region by providing a high-level forum and pursuing programming to address the most important issues on energy, economics, security, and defense.

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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.

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#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

UkraineAlert

Feb 28, 2025

Putin uses NATO as an excuse for his war against Ukrainian statehood

By Peter Dickinson

Vladimir Putin claims his invasion of Ukraine was provoked by NATO expansion but his efforts to eradicate Ukrainian identity in areas under Russian occupation and his insistence regarding Ukraine's complete disarmament reveal his ultimate goal of erasing Ukrainian statehood entirely, writes Peter Dickinson.

Civil Society Conflict

New Atlanticist

Feb 27, 2025

Is this the end of the PKK and its conflict with Turkey?

By Defne Arslan, Rich Outzen

Imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan issued a call for the militant group to lay down its arms after four decades of conflict with the Turkish state.

Conflict Crisis Management

New Atlanticist

Feb 27, 2025

Dispatch from Kyiv: The Trump-Zelenskyy meeting signals a momentum shift in Ukraine’s favor

By John E. Herbst

The Ukrainian president’s visit to the White House on Friday highlights just how far events have moved over the past two weeks.

Conflict Europe & Eurasia

UkraineAlert

Feb 27, 2025

Ukraine’s IT sector offers opportunities for pragmatic partnership with the US

By Anatoly Motkin, Hanna Myshko

As the new Trump administration reassesses its foreign partnerships through a lens of transactional pragmatism, Ukraine’s IT sector presents a potentially compelling case for deepening bilateral cooperation, write Anatoly Motkin and Hanna Myshko.

Conflict Cybersecurity

EconoGraphics

Feb 27, 2025

Could the EU “blocking statute” protect the ICC from US sanctions?

By Lize de Kruijf

The new US sanctions targeting ICC personnel could severely disrupt the Court’s operations—particularly if Dutch banks suspend financial services to the ICC out of fear of violating US sanctions.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

UkraineAlert

Feb 27, 2025

The Finlandization fallacy: Ukrainian neutrality will not stop Putin’s Russia

By Brian Mefford

Donald Trump seeks to broker a peace deal with Vladimir Putin but any attempt to impose neutrality on Ukraine could set the stage for further Russian aggression, writes Brian Mefford.

Conflict European Union

EnergySource

Feb 27, 2025

Can the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal cut carbon and restore competitiveness? 

By Andrea Clabough, Andrei Covatariu, Elena Benaim, Carol Schaeffer

Atlantic Council experts share their analysis on the EU’s new industrial policy, its implications for European energy security, and how key partners may respond to the bloc’s evolving regulatory landscape.

Eastern Europe Energy & Environment

In the News

Feb 27, 2025

Michta in 19FortyFive and RealClearWorld on Washington’s evolving relationship with Europe 

On February 21, Andrew Michta, senior fellow in the GeoStrategy Initiative, published an article in 19FortyFive on the so-called “transatlantic drift” as President Trump changes how the United States “traditionally engages with [European] allies.” This piece was featured in RealClearWorld.  

Europe & Eurasia NATO

New Atlanticist

Feb 26, 2025

The European Commission is headed to India. Here’s what to know about the landmark visit.

By Atlantic Council experts

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is bringing a sizable party from the European Union’s College of Commissioners with her to New Delhi this week. Atlantic Council experts answer the pressing questions about the trip.

Economy & Business European Union

In the News

Feb 26, 2025

Kroenig interviewed on BBC World Service on the emerging Trump 2.0 foreign policy doctrine  

On February 23, Matthew Kroenig, vice president and senior director of the Scowcroft Center, was interviewed on BBC World Service on the emerging Trump 2.0 foreign policy doctrine. He shares his analysis of President Trump’s negotiation tactics for the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, including the president’s idea for a “two-track NATO” and his plan […]

Middle East NATO
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Experts

Fellow

Michael Bociurkiw

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Ukraine International Organizations

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

Henrik Breitenbauch

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Danish Defense Industry

Staff

Joslyn Brodfuehrer

Associate Director, Transatlantic Security Initiative

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

China Disinformation
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Events

Public Event Wed, May 14, 2025 • 9:30 am ET

Navigating a new era of NATO
Europe & Eurasia NATO Security & Defense United States and Canada
Online Event Fri, May 16, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

Lucian Kim on “Putin’s Revenge” and Russia’s war on Ukraine
Europe & Eurasia Human Rights Politics & Diplomacy Ukraine
Public Event Mon, May 19, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

US-Latvia Resilience Conference
Europe & Eurasia Resilience & Society Security & Defense
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