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Featured Reading

Steel meets fire: How the EU might respond to Trump’s tariffs

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
Steel meets fire: How the EU might respond to Trump’s tariffs

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
Steel meets fire: How the EU might respond to Trump’s tariffs

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

Steel meets fire: How the EU might respond to Trump’s tariffs

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
Steel meets fire: How the EU might respond to Trump’s tariffs

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.

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

Feb 13, 2025

Steel meets fire: How the EU might respond to Trump’s tariffs

By Jacopo Pastorelli

The European Union has a range of options for how it can respond to the steep impending US tariffs on its steel and aluminum exports.

Economy & Business European Union

Issue Brief

Feb 13, 2025

To secure Taiwan, the United States must first secure Ukraine

By Brian Kerg

US defense priorities appear to be at a crossroads. Can the United States materially sustain Ukraine in its fight with Russia while preparing for a possible fight with China in defense of Taiwan?

China Conflict

Balkans Debrief

Feb 13, 2025

Is Kosovo Headed for Political Gridlock? | A Debrief with Jeff Hovenier

Resident Senior Fellow speaks with Jeff Hovenier, retired former US Ambassador to Kosovo, to debrief Kosovo's 2025 parliamentary elections.

Elections Europe & Eurasia

UkraineAlert

Feb 13, 2025

A Putin-friendly peace deal would be disastrous for global security

By Ihor Smeshko

As US President Donald Trump announces the start of negotiations with Russia to end the war in Ukraine, Ihor Smeshko warns that a Putin-friendly compromise peace would have catastrophic consequences for the future of international security.

Conflict International Norms

New Atlanticist

Feb 13, 2025

Europe needs a seat at the table in Ukraine negotiations

By Jörn Fleck, James Batchik

European leaders must quickly make the case to the Trump administration for collaboration in negotiations—and show their willingness to step up.

Conflict European Union

In the News

Feb 13, 2025

Soofer interviewed for USA Today article on Trump’s ‘Iron Dome’

By Atlantic Council

On February 11, Forward Defense senior fellow Robert Soofer was interviewed for a USA Today article entitled, “Will Trump’s ‘Iron Dome’ missile defense make Americans safer? It’s complicated.” The article quotes Soofer’s response to Trump’s executive order, citing his claim that it is “even more bold, I would suggest, than Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative.”

China Defense Policy

New Atlanticist

Feb 13, 2025

At the Paris AI Action Summit, the Global South rises

By Trisha Ray

The summit reflected a growing consensus that AI’s future must be both innovative and rooted in shared prosperity.

Artificial Intelligence Europe & Eurasia

Op-Ed

Feb 13, 2025

Tannebaum in The Kyiv Independent on the potential for economic statecraft measures in the Russia-Ukraine war

By Daniel Tannebaum

Read the full article here

Economic Sanctions Russia

Issue Brief

Feb 13, 2025

Deterring Chinese aggression takes real-time intelligence

By Scott D. Berrier

LTG (R) Scott D. Berrier argues that transforming the Intelligence Communit's early-warning system and attaining real-time awareness is crucial to deterring Chinese aggression.

China East Asia

In the News

Feb 13, 2025

Soofer’s report ‘First, we will defend the homeland’ quoted in SPIEGEL article on Trump’s ‘Iron Dome’

By Atlantic Council

On January 29, Forward Defense senior fellow Robert Soofer was quoted in a SPIEGEL article with the translated title, “That’s why Trump wants an American Iron Dome.” The article cites his recent Atlantic Council report, “‘First, we will defend the homeland’: The case for homeland missile defense,” where he warns of the threat to US territory from missiles.

China Defense Policy
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Experts

Staff

Matthew Kroenig

Vice President and Senior Director, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

China Defense Policy

Fellow

Michał Kurtyka

Distinguished Fellow

Global Energy Center

Eastern Europe Energy & Environment

Fellow

Erwan Lagadec

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

English Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Natasha Lander Finch

Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Arms Control Europe & Eurasia

Staff

Nicole Lawler

Assistant Director

Europe Center

Digital Policy Economy & Business

Staff

Charles Lichfield

Deputy Director and C. Boyden Gray Senior Fellow

GeoEconomics Center

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business
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Events

Public Event Thu, May 1, 2025 • 1:00 pm ET

Underwater mayhem: Countering NATO energy & critical infrastructure threats
Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance Europe & Eurasia European Union
Public Event Thu, May 1, 2025 • 3:00 pm ET

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Europe and the new world order

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot will share his vision of Europe’s role for the future of transatlantic relations.
Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy
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
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