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Featured Reading

Russia’s economy is overheating but Putin cannot change course

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
Russia’s economy is overheating but Putin cannot change course

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
Russia’s economy is overheating but Putin cannot change course

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

Russia’s economy is overheating but Putin cannot change course

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
Russia’s economy is overheating but Putin cannot change course

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

Oct 31, 2024

Russia’s economy is overheating but Putin cannot change course

By Alexander Mertens

Russia's wartime economy is in danger of overheating due to a combination of record military spending, sanctions pressures, and runaway inflation, but Vladimir Putin dare not change course, writes Alexander Mertens.

Conflict Defense Industry

New Atlanticist

Oct 30, 2024

In defense of Draghi’s defense idea: Three models for a centralized defense procurer for the EU

By Thomas Goldstein

Only a European defense procurer can provide the institutional reform to overcome intra- and intergovernmental paralysis and invest at scale.

Defense Industry Defense Policy

New Atlanticist

Oct 30, 2024

From Stoltenberg to Rutte: Italy’s hopes and concerns with NATO’s new leadership

By Gabriele Natalizia

Rome should seek clarity from the new NATO secretary general and Italy’s allies on the Alliance’s plans to ensure southern flank security.

Italy Maritime Security

Inflection Points Today

Oct 30, 2024

Putin is making the most of a distracted and divided United States

By Frederick Kempe

American neglect couldn’t come at a more perilous time. The Kremlin is causing problems from the Korean peninsula to Georgia, Moldova, and beyond.

Conflict Elections

In the News

Oct 30, 2024

Braw featured in Engelsberg Ideas

By Elisabeth Braw

On October 30, Transatlantic Security Initiative senior fellow Elisabeth Braw wrote an op-ed for Engelsberg Ideas discussing Germany’s commitment to protecting international legal norms in the Baltic Sea.

Central Europe Europe & Eurasia

UkraineAlert

Oct 29, 2024

Putin’s war on Ukrainian heritage: Russia bombs first Soviet skyscraper

By Peter Dickinson

This week's targeted Russian bombing of Kharkiv's iconic Derzhprom building was the latest in a series of attacks on Ukrainian heritage sites that many regard as evidence of a deliberate Kremlin campaign to erase Ukraine’s national identity, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Oct 29, 2024

Putin is creating the conditions for Russian victory in Ukraine

By Mykola Bielieskov

Whoever wins the US presidential election, they will inherit a war in Ukraine that requires their urgent attention to prevent a Russian victory that would signal the decline of the West and transform the geopolitical landscape, writes Mykola Bielieskov.

Conflict Defense Policy

New Atlanticist

Oct 28, 2024

How the US can counter Russian and Chinese nuclear threats in space

By Peter L. Hays and Sarah Mineiro

As China and Russia bolster their counterspace capabilities, the United States must modernize its space-based nuclear command.

China Nuclear Deterrence

Experts react

Oct 27, 2024

Experts React: Georgia just concluded a contested election, with the country’s future at stake. Now what?

By Atlantic Council experts

After Saturday’s contested election in Georgia, our experts share their thoughts on whether the ruling Georgian Dream party will pull Tbilisi further toward Russia and how the West should respond.

Elections Freedom and Prosperity

In the News

Oct 25, 2024

Tran and Graham cited by The Banker on the rising use of yuan in global trade

Read the full article here

China Economy & Business
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Experts

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

Staff

Torrey Taussig

Director

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Eastern Europe Europe & Eurasia

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Hélène Sene

Global Engagement Manager, HCLTech

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Technology & Innovation

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Kipkorir Koskei

2025 European Leadership Accelerator participant

Millennium Leadership Program

Africa Energy Markets & Governance
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Events

Online Event Wed, April 30, 2025 • 4:00 am ET

Microsoft’s Brad Smith on digital resilience during geopolitical volatility

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft, shares insights on maintaining trust and promoting competitiveness in a time of trade and geopolitical volatility.
Artificial Intelligence Central Europe Cybersecurity Eastern Europe
Public Event Thu, May 1, 2025 • 1:00 pm ET

Underwater mayhem: Countering NATO energy & critical infrastructure threats
Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance Europe & Eurasia European Union
Public Event Thu, May 1, 2025 • 3:00 pm ET

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Europe and the new world order

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot will share his vision of Europe’s role for the future of transatlantic relations.
Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy
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