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Featured Reading

Complex energy systems face low-tech threats

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
Complex energy systems face low-tech threats

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
Complex energy systems face low-tech threats

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.

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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

Complex energy systems face low-tech threats

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
Complex energy systems face low-tech threats

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

EnergySource

Jun 11, 2025

Complex energy systems face low-tech threats

By Travis Nels

The daring destruction of Russian strategic bombers through an operation of the Ukrainian intelligence service highlights the power of asymmetric warfare. While a stunning feat for Ukraine, the operation serves as an important reminder that the use of cheap, low-end systems can also be used against critical, vulnerable infrastructure in the West—its grid, in particular.

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Jun 11, 2025

Donovan quoted in China Daily on potential US reactions to proposed EC sanctions on Russia

Read the full article here.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Jun 10, 2025

Five questions (and expert answers) about the new EU sanctions plan for Nord Stream and Russian banks and oil

By Atlantic Council experts

Atlantic Council experts break down the details of the European Commission's proposed eighteenth sanctions package against Russia for its war on Ukraine.

Conflict Economic Sanctions

UkraineAlert

Jun 10, 2025

Modern Ukraine’s national journey can be traced on Kyiv’s central square

By Peter Dickinson

Since 1991, Kyiv's Maidan square has emerged from Ukraine’s post-Soviet identity crisis via two popular uprisings to become the sacred ground zero of a nation forged in the crucible of revolution and war, writes Peter Dickinson.

Civil Society Conflict

UkraineAlert

Jun 10, 2025

Ukrainian innovations are redefining the role of drones in modern war

By Vitaliy Nabukhotny

Ukraine’s audacious drone strikes on Putin’s bomber fleet at airbases across Russia have been hailed as a watershed moment in military history, leading to claims that Ukraine is “redefining modern warfare,” writes Vitaliy Nabukhotny.

Conflict Defense Industry

New Atlanticist

Jun 9, 2025

Turkmenistan’s deepening water crisis could have far-reaching regional consequences

By Rasul Satymov

Turkmenistan’s water crisis could have significant economic and political ramifications well beyond its borders.

Central Asia Corruption

In the News

Jun 9, 2025

Kroenig featured in Times Radio segment on ‘a new nuclear age’

By Atlantic Council

On June 4, Matthew Kroenig, vice president and senior director of the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, was featured in a Times Radio segment discussing the ‘new nuclear age.’ Kroenig stated that China’s massive nuclear buildup, alongside Russia’s arsenal, marks the dawn of a new and more dangerous nuclear age.

China Nuclear Deterrence

MENASource

Jun 9, 2025

Armenia’s ‘crossroads’ offers the US and Israel a rare opportunity

By Sheila Paylan

Clinching peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan offers the US and Israel a rare chance to tilt the balance of power in the South Caucuses.

Europe & Eurasia Israel

In the News

Jun 9, 2025

Ullman in the Hill on importance of strategic innovation for US military superiority

On June 9, Atlantic Council Senior Advisor Harlan Ullman published an op-ed in the Hill on lessons the US can learn from Ukraine’s “Operation Spiderweb.” He argues that future success against adversaries will depend on the US military’s ability to use innovative tactics and remain agile.  

Russia Security & Defense

Inflection Points Today

Jun 8, 2025

A German leader’s D-Day lesson for Trump 

By Frederick Kempe

In the Oval Office, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered a message that no American should ignore.

Conflict Germany
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Experts

Fellow

Doug Klain

Nonresident Fellow

Eurasia Center

Politics & Diplomacy Russia

Fellow

Konstantinos Komaitis

Resident Senior Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Africa China

Staff

Aaron Korewa

Director, Warsaw Office

Europe Center

Central Europe Northern Europe

Millennium fellow

Kornel Koronowski

Head of Origination Poland, Statkraft

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Energy & Environment

Fellow

Ville Korpela

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Digital Currencies Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Timo S. Koster

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Cybersecurity Dutch
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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
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