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Featured Reading

NATO thwarted a Russian invasion in 1980. Could its playbook work today?

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
NATO thwarted a Russian invasion in 1980. Could its playbook work today?

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
NATO thwarted a Russian invasion in 1980. Could its playbook work today?

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

NATO thwarted a Russian invasion in 1980. Could its playbook work today?

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
NATO thwarted a Russian invasion in 1980. Could its playbook work today?

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

Nov 29, 2021

NATO thwarted a Russian invasion in 1980. Could its playbook work today?

By Ian Brzezinski

As NATO foreign ministers meet this week in Riga, Latvia, they should consider how President Jimmy Carter blocked the Soviets from crushing Poland’s Solidarity movement.

Conflict Crisis Management

UkraineAlert

Nov 28, 2021

EU regulations may yet disarm Vladimir Putin’s pipeline weapon

By Diane Francis

Russian President Vladimir Putin is pushing hard to secure fast track certification for his Nord Stream 2 pipeline, but these efforts will likely prove no match for the EU’s anti-trust laws and regulatory system.

Economic Sanctions European Union

AC Selects

Nov 28, 2021

AC Selects: Addressing Russia and the impacts of Chinese engagement

Week of November 28, 2021 Experts from the Eurasia Center convene to discuss what the US and Europe can do to deter Putin from another military invasion of Ukraine. The GeoEconomics Center launches its new Economic Statecraft Initiative, highlighting the global shifts in economic statecraft due to the rise of China. Finally, the Africa Center […]

Africa China

UkraineAlert

Nov 27, 2021

Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine obsession could spark a major European war

By Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Alexander Khara

Russian President Vladimir Putin's Ukraine obsession could spark the largest European conflict since WWII. With Russian troops massed on the Ukrainian border, Western leaders must demonstrate their readiness to back Ukraine and impose crushing costs on the Kremlin.

Conflict Cybersecurity

In the News

Nov 26, 2021

Dungan quoted in The Washington Post on migration dispute between France and UK
Migration Western Europe

Fast Thinking

Nov 24, 2021

FAST THINKING: Germany finally gets a (colorful) new government

By Atlantic Council

Nearly two months after they handed a narrow victory to the Social Democratic Party (SPD)‚ German voters finally have their next chancellor.

Democratic Transitions Elections

In the News

Nov 24, 2021

Preble on the Net Assessment podcast: America and the Arctic

By Atlantic Council

On November 24, Christopher Preble joined his co-hosts of the Net Assessment podcast to discuss US policy towards the arctic region. They discussed how climate change is causing flooding and environmental damage but is also providing new opportunities for navigation, mining, fishing, tourism, and defense. They discussed how US national security and economic interests best […]

China English

In the News

Nov 24, 2021

Bryza joins TRT World to discuss visit of UAE Crown Prince to Ankara
Turkey

In the News

Nov 24, 2021

Shamshur on Skrypin on Servant of the People and Ukraine’s oligarch battles

By Atlantic Council

Ukraine Ukrainian

EnergySource

Nov 24, 2021

The EU contributed to its own energy crisis, but diversification can solve it

By Ellen Wald

The EU's energy policies are partly responsible for the impact soaring gas prices are having across the bloc. But the EU still has an opportunity to readjust, find a way out of this crisis, and prevent future ones.

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance
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Experts

Fellow

Trevor H. Rudolph

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoTech Center

Cybersecurity Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Jake Sotiriadis

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Policy 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

Expert

Yi Zhou

Visiting Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Democratic Transitions East Asia
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Events

Online Event Fri, July 11, 2025 • 10:30 am ET

What comes next for transatlantic trade
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia European Union Trade and tariffs
Online Event Mon, July 14, 2025 • 2:00 pm ET

Report launch: Russia’s future rulers
Corruption Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy Populism
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