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Featured Reading

Time to play hardball on reforming Ukraine’s security service

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
Time to play hardball on reforming Ukraine’s security service

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
Time to play hardball on reforming Ukraine’s security service

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

Time to play hardball on reforming Ukraine’s security service

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
Time to play hardball on reforming Ukraine’s security service

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.

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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.

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.

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Content

UkraineAlert

Mar 28, 2019

Time to play hardball on reforming Ukraine’s security service

By Oleksandra Ustinova and Steven Pifer

In June 2018, Ukraine’s parliament adopted the Law on National Security, with the help of the United States and other international partners, including NATO and the European Union. Among other things, the law set the frame for the functions of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and opened the door for comprehensive reform of that […]

Conflict Corruption

UkraineAlert

Mar 28, 2019

The Kremlin’s top eight lies about Ukraine’s presidential race

By Tetyana Matychak

On March 31, Ukrainians go to the polls to elect their sixth president. An openly pro-Russian candidate is unlikely to win. However, Moscow is watching closely and cares about the outcome. What is it saying about the election? We analyzed the most widespread Kremlin manipulations about Ukraine’s presidential election on Russian state-controlled media in March. […]

Civil Society Democratic Transitions

Event Recap

Mar 28, 2019

Seminar on fighting disinformation by democratic means

By Atlantic Council

The seminar brought together journalists, academic experts, civil society and representatives of government and organizations to discuss the challenge presented by disinformation and different ways to improve resilience ahead of a string of elections in Europe during 2019.

Disinformation Northern Europe

New Atlanticist

Mar 27, 2019

LBJ’s harsh lessons for Theresa May

By John M. Roberts

Much of the day’s proceedings in the House of Commons provided proof of  May’s failure to date.

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Mar 27, 2019

Much ado about nothing? European strategic autonomy and the transatlantic alliance

By Moritz Luetgerath

The current political and structural realities in Europe will mean the quest for strategic autonomy will remain all talk.

European Union NATO

New Atlanticist

Mar 26, 2019

In Britain, Parliament sidelines Theresa May on Brexit, but uncertainty still rules

By John M. Roberts

Divisions both between parties and within parties in Parliament make it impossible to predict just what solution will emerge.

European Union United Kingdom

In the News

Mar 26, 2019

Dungan appears on Bloomberg to discuss EU-China trade

On March 26, 2019, Nicholas Dungan spoke with Bloomberg’s Jason Kelly on “Bloomberg: Balance of Power” about EU-China trade and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip to France.

Economy & Business European Union

New Atlanticist

Mar 25, 2019

NATO at 70: Lessons from the Cold War

By Lukas Trakimavičius

At a time when some observers argue that the Alliance is facing various pressures, it is useful to put things into perspective, remember some of the earliest challenges NATO had to overcome, and draw some lessons from history.

NATO Russia

New Atlanticist

Mar 25, 2019

Making sense of Nazarbayev’s abrupt resignation in Kazakhstan

By Dinara Pisareva

Nazarbayev’s abrupt departure from power may also be an attempt to preserve his image as the “father of the nation” and economic modernizer before things start to fall apart.

Central Asia Democratic Transitions
Jednostka Wojskowa Komandosów soldiers training in the Stołowe Mountains, May 18, 2018 (photo: Polish Ministry of Defense).

Art of Future Warfare

Mar 25, 2019

Omega

By Amir Husain and August Cole

Editor’s note: This short story describes a hypothetical future war in Europe between Russian and NATO forces using advanced technology. 22 KILOMETERS NORTH OF KYIV / UKRAINE “Incoming!” shouted Piotr Nowak, a master sergeant in Poland’s Jednostka Wojskowa Komandosów special operations unit. Dropping to the ground, he clawed aside a veil of brittle green moss […]

Conflict Defense Technologies
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Experts

Millennium fellow

David Dorosz

Deputy Mayor of Budapest for Climate and Development, City of Budapest

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Climate Change & Climate Action

Millennium fellow

Angelika Dorvel

Global Public Policy Lead, Google

Millennium Leadership Program

Elections European Union

Fellow

Hanna Dohmen

Nonresident Fellow

Global China Hub

China Chinese

Fellow

Pınar Dost

Nonresident Fellow

Atlantic Council in Turkey

English French

Staff

Amy Drake

Assistant Director

Global Energy Center Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative

Energy & Environment Energy Transitions

Fellow

Jonathan P. Dunne

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Policy National Security
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Events

Public Event Tue, May 27, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

The Rt Hon Lord Mandelson on Britain in an enduring transatlantic relationship
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy Security & Defense
Flagship Event Tue, June 17, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

2025 Global Energy Forum

The ninth Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum will be held June 17 and 18 in Washington, DC.
Africa Americas Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment
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