FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

Tanks are vital but Ukraine will need much more to defeat Putin’s Russia

New Atlanticist Sep 16, 2025

Dispatch from Berlin: To succeed, Merz must resist the false choice of focusing at home or abroad

By Jörn Fleck, Rachel Rizzo

The chancellor’s coalition will have to tackle both Germany’s economic renewal and the threat to European security from Russia.
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia
Tanks are vital but Ukraine will need much more to defeat Putin’s Russia

New Atlanticist Aug 28, 2025

Germany wants to double its defense spending. Where should the money go?

By Atlantic Council experts

After decades of Berlin underinvesting in its defense, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has plans to transform the Bundeswehr into Europe’s strongest military. 
Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia
Tanks are vital but Ukraine will need much more to defeat Putin’s Russia

New Atlanticist Feb 19, 2025

Germany’s economy has gone from engine to anchor. Here’s what the next chancellor faces.

By Piotr Arak

Revitalizing growth in Germany’s economy, which appears increasingly mired in stagnation, will demand urgent action from the next chancellor.
Economy & Business Elections

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Content

UkraineAlert

Jan 25, 2023

Tanks are vital but Ukraine will need much more to defeat Putin’s Russia

By Jeffrey Cimmino, Shelby Magid

The decision by Germany and the United States to supply Ukraine with main battle tanks is an important landmark in international efforts to counter Putin's invasion but much more is required to defeat Russia.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Jan 25, 2023

Scholz tank drama casts unflattering light on Germany’s Russia problem

By Diane Francis

After months of debates and delays, Germany finally succumbed to international pressure on January 25 and announced that it would be delivering German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine and allowing others to do so.

Conflict Defense Industry

Fast Thinking

Jan 25, 2023

What Western tanks will mean for Ukraine

By Atlantic Council

With Leopard 2 tanks on the way to Ukraine, our experts rumble in with their takes on what the move signals about Germany's approach to the war effort.

Conflict Defense Industry

Experts react

Jan 25, 2023

Experts react: The West finally sends in the tanks. What will they mean for Ukraine’s fight?

By Atlantic Council experts

Is this a turning point for Germany’s participation in arming Ukraine? Our experts lay out what’s next.

Conflict Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

Jan 24, 2023

Leopard tank saga: Germany remains haunted by history

By Bohdan Vitvitsky

Germany's reluctance to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine reflects the ongoing influence of war guilt for the crimes of the Nazi era while also highlighting a failure to differentiate between modern Russia and the Soviet Union.

Conflict Defense Industry

New Atlanticist

Jan 24, 2023

What’s behind the Western divide over arming Ukraine?

By Eric Adamson

Two schools of thought have emerged on arming Ukraine—defeat Russia vs. avoid escalation. A recent conference hosted by the Atlantic Council in Stockholm investigated the roots of the divide.

Conflict Defense Policy

In the News

Jan 24, 2023

Heilbrunn in National Interest: Germany’s Leopard-2 tanks will help crush Russia

By Atlantic Council

Germany International Security Assistance Force

New Atlanticist

Jan 20, 2023

Like it or not, Europe can only tackle its big challenges with Franco-German consensus

By Marie Jourdain, Jörn Fleck

The January 22 France-Germany summit, amid bumpy relations between the two powers, comes at a pivotal time for Europe and the transatlantic alliance.

Defense Policy Energy & Environment

Atlantic Debrief

Jan 18, 2023

#AtlanticDebrief – What is the state of Germany’s Zeitenwende? | A Debrief from Siemtje Möller

Rachel Rizzo sits down with German Parliamentary State Secretary for Defense, Siemtje Möller, to reflect on her New Atlanticist article on Germany's Zeitenwende and discuss the latest developments on Germany's support for Ukraine.

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

New Atlanticist

Jan 6, 2023

Experts react: Can new French and German weapons turn the tide in Ukraine?

By Atlantic Council experts

What do these additions mean for the battlefield? What do they signal about the positioning of France, Germany, and Europe as a whole in this protracted conflict?

Conflict Defense Technologies
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Experts

Fellow

Nik Foster

Nonresident Fellow

Global China Hub

China Energy & Environment

Fellow

Samuel Denney

Nonresident Fellow

Transatlantic Security Initiative

English Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Tyson Barker

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Cybersecurity Digital Policy

Staff

James Batchik

Associate Director

Europe Center

Central Europe Digital Policy

Executive Leadership Intensive participant

Noel Coenraad

Strategy Advisor, Vattenfall AB

Millennium Leadership Program

Energy Transitions Germany

Fellow

Hanna Dohmen

Nonresident Fellow

Global China Hub

China Chinese
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