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Featured Reading

Welcome to the long war: Why a Ukraine deal was never realistic

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
Welcome to the long war: Why a Ukraine deal was never realistic

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
Welcome to the long war: Why a Ukraine deal was never realistic

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

Welcome to the long war: Why a Ukraine deal was never realistic

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
Welcome to the long war: Why a Ukraine deal was never realistic

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

May 29, 2025

Welcome to the long war: Why a Ukraine deal was never realistic

By Brian Whitmore

There is no deal to be had with Russia on Ukraine—there never has been, and there never will be.

Conflict Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

UkraineAlert

May 29, 2025

Fiber optic drones could play decisive role in Russia’s summer offensive

By David Kirichenko

Russia's emphasis on fiber optic drones is giving it a battlefield edge over Ukraine and may help Putin achieve a long hoped for breakthrough in his coming summer offensive, writes David Kirichenko.

Conflict Defense Industry

New Atlanticist

May 29, 2025

It is Europe’s time to shine on IMEC 

By Rachel Rizzo and Nicholas Shafer

The proposed corridor could reshape connectivity and trade throughout the globe. Europeans should jump at the opportunity to move it forward.

European Union India

Inflection Points

May 28, 2025

Dispatch from Dayton: What Trump can learn about ending war

By Frederick Kempe

A recent visit of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to Ohio—thirty years after the Dayton Accords ended the Bosnian War—raised important questions about what lessons can be applied to ending Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Conflict Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

UkraineAlert

May 27, 2025

Russia is extinguishing all traces of Ukrainian identity in occupied Ukraine

By Kateryna Odarchenko

Throughout occupied Ukraine, the Russian authorities are seeking to consolidate their control by eradicating all traces of Ukrainian statehood and national identity while imposing a reign of terror on the civilian population, writes Kateryna Odarchenko.

Conflict Disinformation

In the News

May 27, 2025

Soofer’s report, “Strengthening Deterrence with SLCM-N,” quoted in Asia Times article

By Atlantic Council

On May 13, Forward Defense senior fellow Robert Soofer was quoted in an Asia Times article titled, “US Navy wants sea-launched nuke missiles to hold China at bay.” The article cites his Atlantic Council issue brief, co-authored with John Harvey, “Strengthening Deterrence with SLCM-N.” The article references their argument that SLCM-N capabilities address “a US […]

China Defense Policy

New Atlanticist

May 27, 2025

British ambassador to the US: The UK must ‘become less dependent on America, while remaining inseparably linked’

By Peter Mandelson

In speaking at the Atlantic Council's 2025 Christopher J. Makins Lecture, Peter Mandelson outlined how the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe can foster peace through military, economic, and technological strength.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

May 27, 2025

Russia’s summer offensive could spark a new humanitarian crisis in Ukraine

By Viktor Liakh, Melinda Haring

As the Russian army gears up for a major summer offensive, Ukraine could soon be facing its most serious humanitarian crisis since the initial phase of the full-scale invasion more than three years ago, write Viktor Liakh and Melinda Haring.

Civil Society Conflict

Econographics

May 27, 2025

Dispatch from London: Engaging Trump without alienating the rest

By Josh Lipsky, Charles Lichfield

The GeoEconomics team traveled across the pond for a series of meetings and events to determine if the recent US-UK trade deal could be a template for other countries seeking accords with the United States.

Economy & Business International Markets

In the News

May 27, 2025

Michta featured in RealClearDefense on concrete actions to strengthen NATO’s resolve amid shifting geopolitics  

On May 21, 2025, Andew Michta, senior fellow in the GeoStrategy Initiative, was highlighted in RealClearDefense on a report on how NATO can deter Russian aggression without an overreliance on US military power, which he co-authored with Scott Lee, Peter Jones, and Lisa Bembenick of MITRE. The authors argue that, as the United States pivots […]

Europe & Eurasia NATO
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Experts

Fellow

Joanna Siekiera

Nonresident Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Rule of Law Polish

Fellow

LeAnne Noelani Howard

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Daniel Di Giusto

Co-founder & Social Impact Strategist, Tech To The Rescue Foundation

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Civil Society

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Slavina Ancheva

MPP Candidate and Belfer Young Leader, Harvard Kennedy School

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Civil Society

Staff

Tatevik Khachatryan

Assistant Director, Events

Armenian Digital Policy

Fellow

Jeppe Kofod

Distinguished Fellow

Global Energy Center

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia
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Events

Online Event Fri, June 27, 2025 • 11:30 am ET

What the EU’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans means for the region
Economy & Business European Union International Markets Political Reform
Online Event Mon, June 30, 2025 • 7:45 am ET

Bolstering the transatlantic partnership at a global inflection point
Europe & Eurasia Southern & Southeastern Europe
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