stay updated

Featured Reading

Putin’s Black Sea blackmail sets stage for Belarus “deal with the devil”

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’s Black Sea blackmail sets stage for Belarus “deal with the devil”

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’s Black Sea blackmail sets stage for Belarus “deal with the devil”

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’s Black Sea blackmail sets stage for Belarus “deal with the devil”

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’s Black Sea blackmail sets stage for Belarus “deal with the devil”

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

BelarusAlert

Jun 1, 2022

Putin’s Black Sea blackmail sets stage for Belarus “deal with the devil”

By Brian Whitmore

Western leaders are desperate to resolve a global food crisis sparked by Russia's Black Sea blockade of Ukrainian grain exports but sending shipments via Belarus would mean rewarding Putin's only ally Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

Belarus Conflict

In the News

Jun 1, 2022

Ashford on Background Briefing: The EU will block most Russian oil imports by the end of the year

By Atlantic Council

On June 1, Emma Ashford was featured on “Background Briefing with Ian Masters” regarding the EU oil embargo. Ashford discussed her recent op-ed published in Bloomberg and the Washington Post, “NATO should think twice before accepting Finland and Sweden.” Ashford also shared some findings from her recently published book, Oil, the State, and War: The […]

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

In the News

Jun 1, 2022

Ashford publishes book Oil, the State and War: The Foreign Policies of Petrostates

By Atlantic Council

On June 1, Emma Ashford’s book Oil, the State and War: The Foreign Policies of Petrostates was published by Georgetown University Press. The book challenges prevailing understandings of the international implications of oil wealth and shows why it can create bad actors. In a world where oil-rich states are more likely to start war than their oil-dependent counterparts, […]

Corruption Defense Policy

In the News

Jun 1, 2022

Preble quoted in Asia Times: US Republicans torn and frayed over Ukraine

By Atlantic Council

On June 1, Christopher Preble was quoted in an Asia Times article regarding the current divide among Republicans over NATO and US foreign policy more broadly. “It’s a sign of progress that 57 Republicans in the House and 11 in the Senate deemed $40 billion of aid worthy of scrutiny, but the fact that overwhelming […]

Americas Defense Policy

Report

Jun 1, 2022

A Democratic Trade Partnership: Ally shoring to counter coercion and secure supply chains

By Ash Jain, Matthew Kroenig

A Democratic Trade and Economic Partnership could provide an integrated framework for leading democracies and other partners to selectively decouple from revisionist autocracies and foster free, fair, and secure trade.

China Economy & Business

In the News

Jun 1, 2022

Ashford on BBC: Ukraine and the EU oil embargo

By Atlantic Council

On June 1, Emma Ashford was interviewed on BBC Newsnight about Ukraine and the EU oil embargo. More about our expert

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

In the News

Jun 1, 2022

Experts agree: Stay the course in Ukraine

By Atlantic Council

NATO Security & Defense

In the News

Jun 1, 2022

Khakova featured in BBC News on the EU’s Russian oil embargo
Eastern Europe Energy & Environment

Issue Brief

Jun 1, 2022

Russia’s war on global food security

By Anders Åslund

Russia’s war on Ukraine has sparked sea changes in global politics on a historic scale. As the West grapples with how to move forward, addressing Russia’s culpability in exploiting a global food crisis—and mitigating the damage—is essential.

Central Europe Crisis Management

EnergySource

May 31, 2022

Obscured by the energy crisis, a food crisis unfolds

By Reed Blakemore, Maia Sparkman

Efforts to grapple with an energy crisis brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine have drowned out a similar emergency facing global food supply. Food security, already being impacted by the adverse effects of climate change, cannot be forgotten as the world pursues a transition to net-zero.

Energy & Environment Geopolitics & Energy Security
Load More

Experts

Fellow

Achilles Tsirgis

Visiting Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Economy & Business European Union

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Anna Ascani

Vice President of the Chamber, Italy Chamber of Deputies

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Education

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Osman Haneef

Head of LBS Startup Incubator & Senior Manager of Ventures, London Business School

Millennium Leadership Program

Entrepreneurship Rule of Law

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
Load More

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
Load More