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Featured Reading

Syrian refugees’ struggle with temporary status in Germany

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

Syrian refugees’ struggle with temporary status in Germany

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

Syrian refugees’ struggle with temporary status in Germany

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

Syrian refugees’ struggle with temporary status in Germany

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

Syrian refugees’ struggle with temporary status in Germany

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

SyriaSource

Feb 26, 2019

Syrian refugees’ struggle with temporary status in Germany

By Hosam al-Jablawi

Just a few months separated the arrival of Syrian refugees Ahmad al-’Awda and his friend Mahmud al-Agha to Germany. Both of them fled from the war in their country that started in 2011. Al-’Awda arrived in Germany in January 2016 and al-Agha arrived in May 2015. This short eight month difference separating their arrivals was enough to guarantee that al-’Awda would not be able to apply to bring his family, who are still in Syria, because he did not get permanent residency in Germany. Rather, due to a series of laws, the German authorities have been granting only temporary residence papers to Syrian refugees.

Germany Syria

UkraineAlert

Feb 26, 2019

The Audacity of Ulana Suprun

By Yuri Polakiwsky

There was a distinct sense of the theatrical inside and outside Kyiv’s Administrative Court #2 earlier this month as it decided the fate of Dr. Ulana Suprun, Ukraine’s acting minister of health. Leaving the proceedings, one was left with at least two seemingly absurd questions: what was this showdown all about and why was an […]

Ukraine

In the News

Feb 24, 2019

Ellinas in Cyprus Weekly: International hydrocarbons interest in Cyprus confirmed

By Charles Ellinas

Read the full article here.

Southern & Southeastern Europe

Event Recap

Feb 22, 2019

A Conversation with Former Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew

By Global Business & Economics

On Tuesday, February 19, the Atlantic Council’s Global Business and Economics program’s Economic Sanction Initiative hosted a public discussion featuring former US Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

UkraineAlert

Feb 22, 2019

Is the Ukrainian Army Worthy of Greater Investment?

By Dennis Soltys

Last year Washington finally gave Kyiv the javelin missiles it had been begging for. But the javelins are mostly symbolic and won’t change much on the frontlines. For more than six months, Washington has been talking about giving Ukraine additional arms to improve its air and naval defenses. These arms are more likely after Russian […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Feb 22, 2019

Let’s Make a Deal, Vladimir

By Johnny Herbst

The ongoing political standoff in Venezuela offers an opportunity for Washington to get something it wants: a democratically elected president in Venezuela and one less vocal Russian ally in its backyard. The Trump Administration recently announced that it plans to leave Syria without any conditions. Russia is involved in both Venezuela and Syria, so if […]

Russia Syria

New Atlanticist

Feb 21, 2019

More and more Russians are fleeing oppression in Russia

By David A. Wemer

A new Atlantic Council report shows the changing motivations of those who are leaving Russia.

Migration Russia

UkraineAlert

Feb 21, 2019

Ukraine’s Leading Presidential Candidates (Minus Poroshenko) Promise to Fight Corruption

By Olena Haluskha

In Ukraine, demand for a genuine fight against corruption is still extremely high. According to recent surveys, voters name corruption as one of the three biggest problems in Ukraine. Nine out of ten Ukrainians consider grand political corruption the greatest threat to the country, while 80 percent are convinced that the main reason for corruption […]

Ukraine

Event Recap

Feb 21, 2019

Economic Opportunity in the Energy Transition

By Global Business & Economics

On Thursday, February 21, the Atlantic Council’s Global Business and Economics Program’s EuroGrowth Initiative and the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center.co-hosted a roundtable discussion on the economic and energy transition to a low-carbon society.

Economy & Business Energy Transitions

UkraineAlert

Feb 21, 2019

Why Zelenskiy Is the Only Decent Choice for Ukraine

By Willem Aldershoff

Ukraine’s presidential elections present a difficult choice for those who want to see the country of 44 million finish what it started in 2014. Sadly all reliable opinion polls indicate that experienced reform candidates have no chance of winning. Former Defense Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko currently stands at around 8 percent and Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi […]

Ukraine
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Experts

Millennium fellow

Teodor Cataniciu

Founder, OVO Europa

Millennium Leadership Program

Eastern Europe Entrepreneurship
Valentin Châtelet

Staff

Valentin Châtelet

Research Associate, Security

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Defense Industry Disinformation

Fellow

Lesley Chavkin

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Africa Economy & Business

Fellow

Hagar Hajjar Chemali

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

Fellow

Deborah Cheverton

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Defense Industry

Fellow

Julie Chon

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoEconomics Center

Americas China
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Events

Online Event Fri, May 16, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

Lucian Kim on “Putin’s Revenge” and Russia’s war on Ukraine
Europe & Eurasia Human Rights Politics & Diplomacy Ukraine
Public Event Mon, May 19, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

US-Latvia Resilience Conference
Europe & Eurasia Resilience & Society Security & Defense
Public Event Tue, May 20, 2025 • 11:30 am ET

Report launch: Confronting Russia’s cyber power
Cybersecurity Digital Policy Europe & Eurasia Infrastructure Protection
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