FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

Paying Ransoms, Europe Bankrolls Qaeda Terror

New Atlanticist
Jul 16, 2025

Reading between the lines of the new France-UK nuclear entente

By
Léonie Allard

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Kier Starmer released a “truly historic” declaration on nuclear planning on July 10.

France
Nuclear Deterrence

Paying Ransoms, Europe Bankrolls Qaeda Terror

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

Paying Ransoms, Europe Bankrolls Qaeda Terror

New Atlanticist
Jan 27, 2025

The case for a US-UK trade and investment agreement

By
L. Daniel Mullaney

As US President Donald Trump begins his second term, the United Kingdom is the right partner for the United States, and now is the right time for a deal.

Economy & Business
Politics & Diplomacy

Featured Event

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

The Rt Hon Lord Mandelson on Britain in an enduring transatlantic relationship

British Ambassador to the United States The Rt Hon Lord Mandelson speaks at the 2025 Christopher J. Makins lecture to discuss the significance of the transatlantic relationship during this unprecedented geopolitical period.

Economy & Business
Europe & Eurasia
Politics & Diplomacy
Security & Defense


Program

The Europe Center promotes the transatlantic leadership and strategies required to ensure a strong Europe.

EXPLORE THE PROGRAM

Content

European flags in Brussels

NATOSource

Jul 30, 2014

Paying Ransoms, Europe Bankrolls Qaeda Terror

By Rukmini Callimachi, New York Times

Kidnapping Europeans for ransom has become a global business for Al Qaeda, bankrolling its operations across the globe.

Europe & Eurasia Sahel
A Challenger 2 in the Royal Tank Regiment, June 17, 2014

NATOSource

Jul 28, 2014

UK Sending Battlegroup to Poland for NATO Exercise

By British Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defense

The UK will send a battle group to take part in major military training, Exercise Black Eagle, in October as part of a Nato package to reassure allies in eastern Europe.

NATO Poland

In the News

Jul 22, 2014

Ullman: The X-Gen Men at 1600 and Number 10

By Harlan Ullman

Brent Scowcroft Center Senior Adviser Harlan Ullman writes for UPI on similarities between President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron: 

United Kingdom

In the News

Jul 17, 2014

Hansen: You are Not an Island, David Cameron

By Ian Hansen

Atlantic Council Program Assistant Ian Hansen writes for EurActive on why Prime Minister David Cameron must begin to demonstrate a long-term vision for the United Kingdom’s role in Europe that resists myopic domestic pressures:

NATO Security & Defense
Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen presents the new NATO Strategic Concept to the media, Nov. 19, 2010

NATOSource

Jul 14, 2014

NATO Leaders Prepare Response to Russia’s Information Warfare

By Sam Jones, Financial Times

Nato has been shaken by the effectiveness of Russia’s online information war during the Ukraine conflict and is now looking for ways to counter the country’s aggressive propaganda campaigns

Cybersecurity Intelligence
General Sir Richard Shirreff (ret.), Feb. 18, 2014

NATOSource

Jul 10, 2014

Former NATO Military Leader Calls for Permanent Basing of NATO Troops in the Baltics

By Steven Swinford, Telegraph

[O]ne of Britain’s most senior generals said that British troops should be permanently stationed in the Baltic States as part of a Nato task force to deter an invasion by Russia.

NATO Northern Europe
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk

NATOSource

Jun 17, 2014

Putin Has Exposed Divisions in Europe

By Matthew Kaminski, Wall Street Journal

To the east Russia is on the march. After a spike in violence over the weekend in eastern Ukraine, the Kremlin on Monday cut gas exports to the country, using an economic cudgel to go with the military one.

Central Europe France

Webcasts

Jun 9, 2014

The Rt. Honorable David Lidington: The Ukraine Crisis and NATO as We Move Toward the Fall Summit

UPDATE: The Atlantic Council regrets that a change in Mr. Lidington’s schedule has made it necessary to cancel this event. As a result, we will be unable to offer the webcast described below. Please join us on June 18 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. for conversation with The Hon. David Lidington, UK Minister of […]

United Kingdom

In the News

Jun 5, 2014

Brattberg: Britain Outside Europe? The Swedish View

By Erik Brattberg

IP Journal, published by the German Council on Foreign Relations, features an op-ed by Scowcroft Center Fellow Erik Brattberg on the rift in relations that could arise between Great Britain and Sweden should Britain decide to exit the European Union:

Northern Europe United Kingdom
Challenger tanks of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, January 21, 2003

NATOSource

Jun 4, 2014

Britain Offers Tanks and 1,000 Troops for NATO Show of Strength Against Putin

By Ben Farmer, Telegraph

Britain has offered Nato an armoured battle group including up to 25 tanks to join exercises in Poland as a show of force against Vladimir Putin.

NATO Russia
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Experts

Fellow

Andrea Rigoni

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Cybersecurity Digital Policy

Fellow

Tobias Ellwood

Distinguished Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative

Politics & Diplomacy Security & Defense

Fellow

Richard Hurowitz

Nonresident senior fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Expert

Jon Wilks

Distinguished Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Crisis Management

Executive Leadership Intensive participant

Stephanie Burrell

Head of Sustainability, Smart DCC

Millennium Leadership Program

Civil Society Energy & Environment

Fellow

Ed Owen

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia
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