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Featured Reading

The Putin puzzle: Why is the Russian dictator so obsessed with 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
The Putin puzzle: Why is the Russian dictator so obsessed with 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
The Putin puzzle: Why is the Russian dictator so obsessed with 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

The Putin puzzle: Why is the Russian dictator so obsessed with 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
The Putin puzzle: Why is the Russian dictator so obsessed with 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

UkraineAlert

May 24, 2022

The Putin puzzle: Why is the Russian dictator so obsessed with Ukraine?

By Bohdan Vitvitsky

Vladimir Putin has sought to justify his invasion of Ukraine by claiming the country has no right to exist but in reality modern Ukraine enjoys a level of democratic legitimacy that far exceeds his own authoritarian regime.

Civil Society Conflict

In the News

May 24, 2022

Slavin quoted in The New Arab on how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is strengthening Iran’s influence in Syria

By Atlantic Council

Conflict Extremism

SouthAsiaSource

May 24, 2022

How the Russia-Ukraine war impacts India’s self-reliance campaign

By Adnan Ahmad Ansari

India’s diplomatic response to the Ukraine-Russia war has become an enigma and a topic of global interest. 

Economy & Business India

In the News

May 24, 2022

Katz quoted in Arabi21 on how NATO may assuage Turkey to accept the membership of Sweden and Finland

By Atlantic Council

Arabic NATO Partnerships

In the News

May 24, 2022

Klain speaks with TICKER NEWS on being sanctioned by the Kremlin

By Atlantic Council

More about our expert

Economic Sanctions Politics & Diplomacy

Issue Brief

May 23, 2022

Toward a framework for transatlantic cooperation on non-state armed groups

By Lauren Mooney and Patrick Quirk

This policy brief examines how transatlantic cooperation regarding NSAGs can be strengthened. It describes the proliferation of NSAGs and the threat they pose to stability in the Sahel specifically. It then explores US-European policies toward engaging NSAGs, highlighting how these frameworks remain underdeveloped on both sides of the Atlantic— pointing to opportunities for greater coordination.

Africa Europe & Eurasia

UkraineAlert

May 22, 2022

Centuries of Russian oppression have forged Ukraine’s remarkable resilience

By Pete Shmigel

Centuries of traumatic experience with the horrors of Russian imperialism have shaped today’s Ukraine in ways that may actually contribute to Putin's defeat and help Ukrainians to build a better future for their country.

Civil Society Conflict

Britain Debrief

May 22, 2022

#BritainDebrief – What future for Northern Ireland? A Debrief with Kellie Armstrong MLA

By Ben Judah

Senior Fellow Ben Judah spoke with Kellie Armstrong, Alliance MLA for Strangford, to discuss how the crisis in Stormont may be defused.

Elections European Union

UkraineAlert

May 21, 2022

Appeasement is the worst possible policy for both Ukraine and Russia

By Dennis Soltys

Western advocates of appeasement in Ukraine such as French President Emmanuel Macron fail to appreciate the deep-rooted imperial ambitions underpinning Vladimir Putin's campign to extinguish Ukrainian independence.

Conflict Democratic Transitions

New Atlanticist

May 20, 2022

Zelenskyy’s chief of staff: Ukraine has a shot at ‘complete liberation’

By Dan Peleschuk

Andriy Yermak urged the West to help his country maintain its momentum at an Atlantic Council Front Page event on Friday.

Conflict European Union
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Experts

Staff

Lize de Kruijf

Project Assistant, Economic Statecraft Initiative

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Dutch Economic Sanctions

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Chiara Cocchiara

Senior Innovation Officer, European Space Agency

Millennium Leadership Program

Europe & Eurasia Resilience & Society

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Salam Nukta

Innovation, Sustainability and Social Entrepreneurship Professional, Warsha Consulting

Millennium Leadership Program

Education Entrepreneurship

Fellow

Joanna Siekiera

Nonresident Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Rule of Law Polish

Fellow

LeAnne Noelani Howard

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Daniel Di Giusto

Co-founder & Social Impact Strategist, Tech To The Rescue Foundation

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Civil Society
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Events

Online Event Tue, June 3, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

Warsaw Week 2025: Retooling the transatlantic alliance for an era of uncertainty
Central Europe Eastern Europe Europe & Eurasia NATO
Public Event Wed, June 4, 2025 • 9:45 am ET

US-Central Asia Forum
Central Asia Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia Geopolitics & Energy Security
Online Event Thu, June 5, 2025 • 3:00 pm ET

General Thomas Bussiere on Global Strike Command’s role in strategic deterrence
China Missile Defense Nuclear Deterrence Russia
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