Ukraine

Ukraine

In February 2022, Moscow launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine after a months-long military build-up, threatening the country’s sovereignty and its future. This existential moment for the country follows the 2014 Maidan revolution, a nexus for Ukraine’s Europe-focused foreign policy and reform efforts. The ensuing Russian invasion and occupation of Crimea, aggression in Ukraine’s east, and Kremlin disinformation efforts, cast a shadow over Ukraine’s independence.

issue spotlight

Europe in crisis

War in Ukraine

Experts from across the Atlantic Council are assessing the consequences of Russia’s February 2022 invasion, including what it means for Ukraine’s sovereignty, Europe’s security, and the United States’ leadership.

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After Russian Invasion of Crimea, Alliance Must Deter Incursions into NATO Members

New Atlanticist
Dec 4, 2024

A winning strategy to end Russia’s war against Ukraine

More than a dozen experts from the United States and Europe share their recommendations to the incoming Trump administration about how best to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Read More

After Russian Invasion of Crimea, Alliance Must Deter Incursions into NATO Members

Russia Tomorrow
Jan 8, 2025

Sanctioned kleptocracy: How Putin’s kremligarchs have survived the war—and even prospered

By
Ilya Zaslavskiy

The latest report in the Atlantic Council’s Russia Tomorrow series explores how Russia’s kleptocratic networks infiltrated the West and measures the US and Europe can take to combat the malign influence of Russian kleptocracy around the globe.

Corruption
Economy & Business

After Russian Invasion of Crimea, Alliance Must Deter Incursions into NATO Members

UkraineAlert
Jan 14, 2025

No peace without security: Ukraine needs guarantees against new Russian invasion

By
Peter Dickinson

Ukraine is ready to make territorial concessions but insists that any peace deal must include credible long-term security guarantees to prevent a new Russian invasion, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict
European Union


Ukraine response

Founded sixty years ago at the height of Cold War tensions with Moscow, the Atlantic Council is driven by our mission of “shaping the global future together.” The Council is a nonpartisan organization that galvanizes US leadership and engagement in the world in partnership with allies and partners. Building on that mission, we have responded quickly and comprehensively to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, harnessing our editorial and convening power to help the United States and its allies to act swiftly and effectively—and to unify the disparate voices in favor of democracy, prosperity, and the transatlantic alliance.

read more on UkraineAlert

Regular news and analysis from Ukraine

UkraineAlert sources insight and commentary from a wide-array of thought-leaders, politicians, experts, and activists from Ukraine and the global community.

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Events

Public Event
Mon, March 30, 2026 • 2:00 pm ET

Report launch: How the West lost the post-Cold War era

Central Europe
Eastern Europe
Europe & Eurasia
Politics & Diplomacy

Public Event
Fri, March 27, 2026 • 12:00 pm ET

How Ukraine’s drones and Russia’s reconnaissance fit into the Iran war

Conflict
Defense Industry
Defense Policy
Defense Technologies

Public Event
Fri, March 13, 2026 • 10:30 am ET

Ukraine’s human capital and the foundations of recovery and long-term security

Economy & Business
Europe & Eurasia
Resilience & Society
Russia

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.

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Content

Estonian President Toomas Henrik Ilves, Dec. 9, 2010

NATOSource

Apr 10, 2014

After Russian Invasion of Crimea, Alliance Must Deter Incursions into NATO Members

By Matthew Kaminski, Wall Street Journal

“An aggressive, revanchist power,” in the Estonian leader’s words, makes the unthinkable thinkable. “We were already caught off guard with Crimea,” he [Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves] says.

NATO Northern Europe

Transcript

Apr 10, 2014

Prepared Testimony of Ian J. Brzezinski

Transatlantic Security Challenges: Central and Eastern Europe Council Senior Fellow Ian Brzezinski testified before a panel of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, recommending policies dealing with the crisis in Ukraine. His prepared testimony is below.

Ukraine

New Atlanticist

Apr 10, 2014

Military Analysis: How Much of Ukraine is Putin Thinking to Invade?

By Irena Chalupa

Less than a month after Russia’s annexation of Crimea, a further Russian incursion into eastern Ukraine remains a distinct possibility. President Vladimir Putin may be emboldened by the weakness of the central government in Kyiv and a failure so far of Western sanctions to enforce painful to consequences on Russia. Putin has had an invasion […]

Russia Ukraine

New Atlanticist

Apr 10, 2014

US and Europe Can Ramp Up Their Pressures on Russia

By Irena Chalupa

Both Europe and the United States are designing broader sets of economic sanctions against Russia over its assaults on Ukraine says the Atlantic Council’s Fran Burwell. Like the Obama administration, the European Union is considering a further phase of sanctions that will likely include restrictions on Russian banks doing business in Europe, and on European […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Apr 10, 2014

Senate Testimony: Transatlantic Security Challenges in Central & Eastern Europe

Council Senior Fellow Ian Brzezinski will testify before a panel of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, recommending policies dealing with the crisis in Ukraine. The hearing starts at 3:00 p.m. The lineup of panelists is below. We will make the video and Ian Brzezinski’s testimony as prepared for delivery available on this page as soon […]

Russia Ukraine
Gen. Philip Breedlove and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Feb. 26, 2014

NATOSource

Apr 10, 2014

US Troops May be Sent to Eastern Europe

By John-Thor Dahlburg, AP

NATO’s top military commander in Europe, drafting countermoves to the Russian military threat against Ukraine, said Wednesday they could include deployment of American troops to alliance member states in Eastern Europe now feeling at risk.

Eastern Europe NATO

In the News

Apr 9, 2014

Brzezinski: Putin Can Withstand Sanctions

By Ian Brzezinski

CNBC quotes Brent Scowcroft Center Senior Fellow Ian Brzezinski on Russia’s ability to withstand economic sanctions in the wake of the invasion of Crimea:

Russia Ukraine
Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Facility in Romania

NATOSource

Apr 9, 2014

US May Accelerate Deployment of Missile Defense System in Poland

By David Larter, Defense News

The military could speed up deployment of a land-based missile defense shield in Europe to hem in a resurgent Russia, the Navy 3-star in charge of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said in early April.

Central Europe Europe & Eurasia

Article

Apr 9, 2014

Why We Can Play the Long Game on Russia

By James Clad & Robert A. Manning

With the benefit of hindsight, the Russian annexation of Crimea shouldn’t have been a great surprise: it has been obvious to those who chose to look that for most of the last twenty years, that Russian president Vladimir Putin never fully accepted the USSR’s demise. Now, as the West agonizes over another possible irredentist feint—possibly […]

Russia Ukraine

In the News

Apr 8, 2014

Hansen: Lines of Interest in Central and Eastern Europe

By Ian Hansen

Program Assistant Ian Hansen writes on the various factors constraining US action in Europe’s East for New Eastern Europe:

Ukraine
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Experts

Fellow

Lukas Andriukaitis

Nonresident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Disinformation Eastern Europe

Fellow

Tyson Barker

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Cybersecurity Digital Policy

Fellow

Phyllis Berry

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia France

Fellow

Michael Bociurkiw

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Ukraine International Organizations

Fellow

Ian Brzezinski

Senior Fellow

Europe Center Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Central Europe Defense Policy

Staff

Eto Buziashvili

Research Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Disinformation Eastern Europe
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Events

Online Event Mon, May 4, 2026 • 10:00 am ET

How are Ukraine’s new partnerships and drone innovations changing the war?
Defense Technologies Drones Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy
Public Event Fri, May 8, 2026 • 10:00 am ET

Is Russia’s war machine running out of steam?
Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy Russia Security & Defense