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Featured Reading

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

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

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
Without Gorbachev, Reagan wouldn’t have won the Cold 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

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

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

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

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

In the News

Aug 30, 2022

Shaffer in Mosaic Magazine: Turkish-Israel Normalization Is Good News for the U.S.
Conflict Israel

UkraineAlert

Aug 30, 2022

The Ukrainian military must reorganize to defeat Russia

By Richard D. Hooker, Jr.

Ukraine has achieved military miracles to derail Russia's invasion plans but reorganization of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is necessary if the country is to be fully liberated from Russian occupation, writes Richard D. Hooker, Jr.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Aug 30, 2022

Decolonizing Crimean history

By Oleksandra Gaidai

A new online educational initiative is aiming to decolonize Crimean history and challenge the problematic international tendency to view the lands of the former Soviet Union through a Russian prism.

Civil Society Conflict

Airpower after Ukraine

Aug 30, 2022

A web of partnerships: Ukraine, operational collaboration, and effective national defense in cyberspace

By Sean Atkins

Partnerships strengthen a nation's cyber defense, as Ukraine's effective web of cyber partnership demonstrates.

Cybersecurity Defense Policy

Airpower after Ukraine

Aug 30, 2022

The Ukraine war and its impact on Russian development of autonomous weapons

By Samuel Bendett

Moscow's plans to employ autonomous systems on the battlefield may be set back by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Defense Industry Defense Technologies

Airpower after Ukraine

Aug 30, 2022

Air denial: The dangerous illusion of decisive air superiority

By Maximillian K. Bremer and Kelly A. Grieco

The air war in Ukraine challenges traditional paradigms of air superiority. US and allied air forces must instead contemplate air denial strategies.

Cybersecurity Defense Technologies
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Experts

Fellow

Tatiana Gfoeller

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Arabic Central Asia

Fellow

Helena Fee Rasch

Visiting Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Alexandre Marques Pinho

Adviser to the Minister, Portugal Ministry of Defence

Millennium Leadership Program

Europe & Eurasia Security & Defense

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Pauline Deschryver

Senior Manager, DTEK Group

Millennium Leadership Program

Africa Central Europe

Fellow

Tom Mancinelli

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Fellow

Shawn Creamer

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Indo-Pacific Security Initiative

Security & Defense East Asia
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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
Online Event Tue, June 17, 2025 • 1:00 pm ET

Drones, defense, and diplomacy: Negotiations and the battlefield in Ukraine
Conflict Defense Technologies Europe & Eurasia 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
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