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Featured Reading

Townsend in Foreign Policy on the logistical challenges of delivering tanks to Ukraine

New Atlanticist May 27, 2025

Do Trump’s criticisms of Putin mark a turning point in his Russia policy?

By John E. Herbst

On Sunday, the US president called his Russian counterpart “crazy” on social media, revealing an increasing impatience with Russia over its unwillingness to engage in US-led cease-fire talks.
Conflict Politics & Diplomacy
Townsend in Foreign Policy on the logistical challenges of delivering tanks to Ukraine

Report May 20, 2025

The European Union Growth Plan for the Western Balkans: A reality test for EU enlargement

By Valbona Zeneli, Richard Grieveson, Isabelle Ioannides, Dimitar Bechev

EU enlargement faces a test case in the Western Balkans. The current plan offers real benefits before accession, creating incentives for reform, but questions of enforceability and the relatively low amount of financial support threaten the success of the EU’s political influence in the region.
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia
Townsend in Foreign Policy on the logistical challenges of delivering tanks to Ukraine

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

Unpacking Russia’s cyber nesting doll

by Justin Sherman

The latest report in the Atlantic Council’s Russia Tomorrow series explores Russia’s wartime cyber operations and broader cyber web.

In-depth Research & reports

Townsend in Foreign Policy on the logistical challenges of delivering tanks to Ukraine

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
Townsend in Foreign Policy on the logistical challenges of delivering tanks to Ukraine

Russia Tomorrow Dec 17, 2024

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.
Civil Society Europe & Eurasia

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

In the News

Jan 26, 2023

Townsend in Foreign Policy on the logistical challenges of delivering tanks to Ukraine

On January 26, SCSS Senior Advisor Jim Townsend was quoted in Foreign Policy discussing the delivery of modern Western battle tanks to Ukraine and the logistical challenges that entails.

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Jan 26, 2023

Deni in The Hill on Turkey’s exploitation of NATO’s consensus decision-making to extract concessions

On January 26, TSI NRSF John Deni wrote an op-ed arguing that Turkey is exploiting NATO’s consensus-based decision-making process to extract concessions from Finland and Sweden and discussed signals that Washington should give to Ankara to ensure ratification.

Europe & Eurasia NATO

In the News

Jan 26, 2023

Skaluba in The Week on the challenges of building consensus in NATO

On January 26, Chris was quoted in The Week, noting the challenge of lining up 30 different leaders to reach consensus at NATO.

NATO Security & Defense

In the News

Jan 26, 2023

Skaluba in Bloomberg on modern tank deliveries to Ukraine

On January 25, Chris was quoted in Bloomberg discussing modern tank deliveries to Ukraine, where he highlighted that Zelenskiy will no doubt return to his successful playbook to pressure allies for increased assistance.

Defense Policy Security & Defense

Econographics

Jan 26, 2023

Global Sanctions Dashboard: How sanctions will further squeeze the Russian economy in 2023

By Charles Lichfield, Maia Nikoladze, and Castellum.AI

The effects of sanctions on the Russian economy; Venezuela's pursuit of lifting energy sanctions; the plans for screening EU-US outbound investment going into China.

China Economic Sanctions

In the News

Jan 26, 2023

Wieslander quoted in Finnish Verkkouutiset on potential F-16s to Turkey

“The United States has entered the game. And Erdogan needs his F-16 fighter jets,” Wieslander, Northern Europe Director of the Atlantic Council, wrote.

NATO Northern Europe

UkraineAlert

Jan 25, 2023

Tanks are vital but Ukraine will need much more to defeat Putin’s Russia

By Jeffrey Cimmino, Shelby Magid

The decision by Germany and the United States to supply Ukraine with main battle tanks is an important landmark in international efforts to counter Putin's invasion but much more is required to defeat Russia.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Jan 25, 2023

Scholz tank drama casts unflattering light on Germany’s Russia problem

By Diane Francis

After months of debates and delays, Germany finally succumbed to international pressure on January 25 and announced that it would be delivering German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine and allowing others to do so.

Conflict Defense Industry

Fast Thinking

Jan 25, 2023

What Western tanks will mean for Ukraine

By Atlantic Council

With Leopard 2 tanks on the way to Ukraine, our experts rumble in with their takes on what the move signals about Germany's approach to the war effort.

Conflict Defense Industry

Experts react

Jan 25, 2023

Experts react: The West finally sends in the tanks. What will they mean for Ukraine’s fight?

By Atlantic Council experts

Is this a turning point for Germany’s participation in arming Ukraine? Our experts lay out what’s next.

Conflict Defense Policy
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Experts

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Grégoire Roos

Head of Political Dialogue & Policy Innovation, BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt

Millennium Leadership Program

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Geoffrey Pyatt

Distinguished Fellow

Global Energy Center

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Richard Hurowitz

Nonresident senior fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Staff

Alexander Young

Project Assistant

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Europe & Eurasia

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Helene-Terese Jürgenson

E-Construction Services Project Manager, Estonian Ministry of Climate

Millennium Leadership Program

Energy & Environment Northern Europe

Fellow

Andrea Rigoni

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Cybersecurity Digital Policy
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Events

Online Event Fri, June 20, 2025 • 4:00 pm ET

Sweden’s foreign minister on the 2025 NATO Summit agenda
Europe & Eurasia NATO Northern Europe Politics & Diplomacy
Public Event Tue, June 24, 2025 • 3:00 pm ET

2025 Freedom and Prosperity Indexes launch
Eastern Europe Freedom and Prosperity Human Rights Inclusive Growth
Public Event Wed, June 25, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

New findings: Russian aerial attacks amount to extermination and persecution
Civil Society Conflict Crisis Management Russia
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