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Featured Reading

Ukraine’s place in the geopolitical puzzle is shifting. That was the point.

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
Ukraine’s place in the geopolitical puzzle is shifting. That was the point.

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
Ukraine’s place in the geopolitical puzzle is shifting. That was the point.

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

Ukraine’s place in the geopolitical puzzle is shifting. That was the point.

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
Ukraine’s place in the geopolitical puzzle is shifting. That was the point.

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.

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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.

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#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.

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Content

UkraineAlert

Sep 23, 2019

Ukraine’s place in the geopolitical puzzle is shifting. That was the point.

By Maksym Panchenko

We don’t know what Zelenskyy gave up to get the prisoners back, but it probably wasn’t small. Ukrainian detainees have been one of Putin’s major pressure points on Ukraine for five plus years.

Conflict Crisis Management

In the News

Sep 22, 2019

Cohen in The Hill: The new Kazakhstan president comes to the UN

By Atlantic Council

Central Asia Politics & Diplomacy

In the News

Sep 22, 2019

Livingston quoted in El Pais Semanal on climate action and industry

By Atlantic Council

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance

Long Take

Sep 22, 2019

After Brexit, will Scotland take the high road out of the UK?

By Andrew R. Marshall

Just two years after Scots narrowly rejected independence by referendum, a second bite at the apple―IndyRef2―is being widely discussed, and one recent opinion pollshows it leading to a pro-independence result.

Elections European Union

New Atlanticist

Sep 20, 2019

How to make a lasting regime change: A guide for aspiring (democratic) reformers

By Jakub Wiśniewski

Why did the Central Europeans succeed when so many efforts at regime change from within failed – ending in tears, bitter disappointment or bloodshed?

Central Europe Democratic Transitions

Issue Brief

Sep 20, 2019

Securing Northern Europe: Toward a comprehensive approach

By Anna Wieslander and Elin Schiffer

As Northern Europe finds itself on the front line of systemic great-power competition it has the consider three main challenges: an assertive Russia, changing dynamics in the transatlantic link and the development of a European defense. This present a unique window of opportunity to develop a comprehensive regional approach, bringing together the Baltic Sea, the North Atlantic and the Arctic.

Europe & Eurasia NATO

UkraineAlert

Sep 19, 2019

How to lose friends and allies

By Diane Francis

If Kolomoisky is not renounced and investigated, the world will turn its back on Ukraine. But the Russians and oligarchs won’t.

Corruption Political Reform

In the News

Sep 19, 2019

Michel in Maanpuolustus: Finnish defence policy: One American’s perspective

By Atlantic Council

Defense Policy Northern Europe

In the News

Sep 19, 2019

Bechev in Foreign Policy: Putin is trolling the United States in the Persian Gulf

By Dimitar Bechev

In the wake of the drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, the Russian president has positioned himself as a peacemaker. But continued conflict is his friend.

Conflict Russia

Issue Brief

Sep 19, 2019

Secondary sanctions’ implications and the transatlantic relationship

By Samantha Sultoon & Justine Walker

The term secondary sanctions provokes strong reactions from allies and markets. Due to the power of the US dollar, breadth of the US market, and dominance of the US financial system, even the threat of secondary sanctions prompts many non-US companies to change their behavior to avoid the risk of such sanctions. Although this approach has furthered US policies, it has resulted in transatlantic political divergence and enhanced compliance uncertainty among private sector actors.

China Economic Sanctions
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Experts

Staff

Charles Lichfield

Deputy Director and C. Boyden Gray Senior Fellow

GeoEconomics Center

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

Fellow

Carrie Lee

Senior Advisor

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Central Asia
Esteban Ponce de Leon

Staff

Esteban Ponce de León

Resident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Artificial Intelligence Conflict

Millennium fellow

Marcel Lewicki

Director of Partnerships and Development, Munich Security Conference

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Eastern Europe

Fellow

Keir Lieber

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

China Defense Policy

Fellow

Jeffrey Lightfoot

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

English Europe & Eurasia
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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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