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Featured Reading

Flawed assumptions hamper Western response to Russia’s Ukraine War

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
Flawed assumptions hamper Western response to Russia’s Ukraine War

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
Flawed assumptions hamper Western response to Russia’s Ukraine War

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

Flawed assumptions hamper Western response to Russia’s Ukraine War

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
Flawed assumptions hamper Western response to Russia’s Ukraine War

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

UkraineAlert

Sep 1, 2022

Flawed assumptions hamper Western response to Russia’s Ukraine War

By Glenn Chafetz, Richard D. Hooker, Jr.

The Western response to Russia's Ukraine invasion is being undermined by flawed assumptions over the danger of a possible nuclear escalation and the need to maintain a workable relationship with Russia.

Conflict European Union

TURKEYSource

Sep 1, 2022

To re-engage in the Black Sea, the US must look to Turkey

By Arnold C. Dupuy

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine presents an opportunity for the United States to re-engage in the Black Sea region. To do so, it will need to work with partners and allies, such as Turkey.

Conflict Eastern Europe

Transcript

Aug 31, 2022

Danish defense minister: It’s time for the West to ‘offer sacrifices’ to help secure Ukraine

By Atlantic Council

Minister Bødskov joined the Atlantic Council to discuss how Ukraine's allies in Europe and the United States should send support next.

Defense Policy Defense Technologies

New Atlanticist

Aug 31, 2022

The war in Ukraine is an opportunity to upgrade the transatlantic architecture. Here’s how.

By Ira Straus

Atlantic leaders should treat the current conflict—just as they did the Cold War—as an opportunity to improve institutional capabilities.

Crisis Management European Union

In-Depth Research & Reports

Aug 31, 2022

Europe home alone: Gaming out the future of transatlantic relations

By Liana Fix, Xenia Kelemen, and Jörn Fleck

The Atlantic Council partnered with Körber-Stiftung International Affairs on the 2022 Körber Policy Game to game out Europe's reactions to any future rifts in the transatlantic relationship.

Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy

UkraineAlert

Aug 31, 2022

Russia must be held accountable for committing genocide in Ukraine

By Danielle Johnson

Efforts to hold Russia accountable for genocide in Ukraine will involve war crimes trials but must also focus on the broader challenge of addressing Russia's historical sense of impunity, writes Danielle Johnson

Conflict Disinformation

New Atlanticist

Aug 31, 2022

Without Gorbachev, Reagan wouldn’t have won the Cold War

By Thom Shanker

Victory and success, the late Soviet leader once said, can only be found when all parties feel they have won something.

Democratic Transitions Politics & Diplomacy

Balkans Debrief

Aug 31, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – Why does Russia want instability in the Western Balkans?| A debrief with Fabian Zhilla

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Fabian Zhilla, Senior Fellow of the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, on the national security threats posed by Russian intelligence activities and cyber attacks.

The Balkans

Experts react

Aug 30, 2022

What legacy does Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, leave behind?

Our experts examine Gorbachev's complicated legacy and wonder: What could have been?

Eastern Europe Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Aug 30, 2022

Amb. Dan Fried quoted in Marketplace on whether Gazprom brings Nord Stream 1 back online as planned

By Daniel Fried

Read the full article here.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business
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Experts

Fellow

Fabio Petito

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Freedom and Prosperity Human Rights

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Ivo Walinga

China Programme Officer, International Energy Agency

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Energy & Environment

Fellow

Trevor H. Rudolph

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoTech Center

Cybersecurity Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Marek Magierowski

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Jacobo Ramos Folch

Policy Manager, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Economy & Business

Fellow

David H. Young

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Afghanistan Conflict
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Events

Flagship Event Tue, June 17, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

2025 Global Energy Forum

The ninth Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum will be held June 17 and 18 in Washington, DC.
Africa Americas Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment
Flagship Event Tue, September 30, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

2025 Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics

The Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics is an annual conference convening economic and financial leaders from both sides of the Atlantic.
Digital Policy Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia European Union