Venezuela Weekly: Maduro Back in US Court as Trump Suggests More Charges Could Follow
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro appeared in a U.S. federal court as his lawyers sought dismissal of a narco-terrorism indictment, while President Trump said Maduro would get a fair trial but hinted additional charges could follow, framing U.S. action as part of broader organized-crime and national-security concerns. Domestically, Caracas launched a national energy-saving plan to cope with worsening blackouts, and interim government figure Delcy Rodríguez pitched legal guarantees for investors from Miami while announcing a diplomatic delegation to Washington led by Félix Plasencia. The outreach is met with cautious investor reaction amid persistent infrastructure and institutional doubts. Opposition leader María Corina Machado reiterated that durable investment hinges on legal certainty, transparency and strong institutions.
How Will President Trump Approach Taiwan in Upcoming Meeting with Xi Jinping?
The speaker says President Trump may pursue a different, more flexible approach to US policy on Taiwan when meeting Xi Jinping, unbound by past diplomatic formulations. He suggests Trump favors 'common-sense' adjustments and accepts great-power influence in neighboring regions, a...
GCC Fiscal Resilience and Macroeconomic Stability During the Iran War
Speakers at the Atlantic Council Mina Futures Lab warned that the Iran war is inflicting multi-channel macroeconomic damage on GCC economies through disrupted trade and logistics, higher insurance and rerouting costs, tighter financial conditions, input-price volatility and a hit to...
Shaping the New Space Age
UAE Minister Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi used a panel at the Atlantic Council to frame his country’s rapid ascent in space, praising recent US/NASA leadership on returning humans to the Moon and highlighting the UAE’s multilateral role in Artemis....
The Future of Iran's Axis of Resistance
Speakers at an Iraq Initiative panel argued that Iran’s ‘axis of resistance’—Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iraqi militias—no longer functions as a single, centrally managed forward-defense network but as a collection of actors pursuing divergent survival strategies. Some groups have become...
The Western Balkans in Today’s Transatlantic Landscape | A Debrief with Dimitris Tsarouhas
Speakers argue the transatlantic alliance is in a period of strategic uncertainty as the Trump administration reshapes US policy toward Europe and the war in Ukraine strains Western unity. At the Munich Security Conference debates over NATO burden-sharing and Europe’s...
US-Turkish Defense Relations and the Upcoming NATO Summit
Atlantic Council speakers highlighted a renewed dynamism in U.S.-Turkey defense ties ahead of the 2026 NATO summit in Ankara, noting Turkey’s emergence as a major domestic arms producer and exporter—especially in drones—and expanded coordination on regional security from the Black...
GCC Fiscal Resilience and Macroeconomic Stability During the Iran War
Speakers at the Atlantic Council MENA Futures Lab webinar warned that the Iran war is imposing multi-channel macroeconomic shocks on GCC economies, chiefly via disrupted trade and logistics from Strait of Hormuz closures, higher freight and insurance costs, and interrupted...
Transatlantic Relations in an Era of Upheaval
The Atlantic Council’s Europe Center convened a panel of senior officials to assess the state of transatlantic relations as 2026 enters its final quarter. Recent flashpoints—including U.S. saber‑rattling over Greenland, the Supreme Court’s rebuff of Trump’s AIPA tariffs, and...
The Communication Gap in Energy Transmission Investments
Speakers say efforts to expand and modernize transmission face a communication gap: with 76% of Americans feeling a cost-of-living squeeze, many hear that new grid investments chiefly serve renewables and data centers, not ordinary consumers. That misperception is fueling public...
The Fight for Influence in Venezuela Against Russia, China, Iran, and Cuba
Speakers at an Atlantic Council forum outlined a rapid recalibration of influence in Venezuela as Washington restores diplomatic presence and eases certain PDVSA sanctions while Caracas reshuffles its security leadership. Delcy Rodríguez’s move to replace long-serving defense minister Vladimir Padrino...
Dispatch From Prague: What Are Europeans Asking About the Iran War and Global Economy?
Reporting from Prague after a week of Atlantic Council events, conversations in Europe are dominated by fears over the Iran war and a mounting global energy shock, with prices creeping up and market volatility rising. Policymakers and business leaders are...
Report Launch: How the West Lost the Post-Cold War Era
Brian Whitmore, in a new Atlantic Council report, argues the post–Cold War era was a 30‑year interregnum in which Western optimism and misreading of Russia’s enduring impulses produced strategic blind spots that helped enable Moscow’s return to aggression, culminating in...
Does the Iran War Signal the End of Economic Statecraft?
Podcast guests debated whether recent U.S. actions mark a turning point away from economic statecraft toward hard military power. They defined geoeconomics as using finance and economic tools—sanctions, tariffs, export controls—to pursue national-security goals, and noted its rise over the...
Transmission 2026: Durable Infrastructure and Regulations for a New Digital Age
At the Atlantic Council’s Transmission 2026 forum, industry and policy leaders warned that the U.S. power grid faces urgent pressure from aging infrastructure, long procurement lead times, inefficient permitting, and surging demand from data centers and electrification. Panels focused on...
Dispatch From Baku: Will the US-Israel-Iran Crisis Spiral Further?
The video frames the escalating US‑Israel‑Iran confrontation as a potential flashpoint that could spill over into the South Caucasus, where Azerbaijan sits just 150 miles from Iran’s border. At the 13th Global Baku Forum, analysts fear the dispute may broaden...
Stories From Russia's War on Ukraine
The Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center has launched a long‑form video series titled “Stories from Russia’s War on Ukraine.” The series documents Ukrainian civilian resilience and the ongoing devastation caused by Russia’s invasion. By pairing personal narratives with on‑the‑ground footage, the...
So What’s the Strategy for Iran?
In a recent episode of his podcast, Matthew Kroenig hosts Alex Gray, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and former National Security Council chief of staff under Trump. They dissect Washington’s evolving strategy to achieve victory in the ongoing...
Amid War with Iran, Debating the US Dollar as a Safe Haven Currency
Investors are fleeing to dollar‑denominated assets as the war with Iran escalates. The surge follows a turbulent year for the greenback, during which its safe‑haven status has been hotly debated. Analysts, including Atlantic Council’s Lize de Kruijf, warn that coordinated “Sell...
The Hypersonic Imperative – Atlantic Council Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force
The Atlantic Council’s Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force warns that the United States is losing its air‑power edge as rivals accelerate hypersonic missile development, and it calls for an urgent “hypersonic imperative” to restore deterrence. The briefing cites Russia’s use of missiles...
Is Crypto Here to Stay?
Julian Colbo, senior director for South America at Bitso, argues that cryptocurrency is no longer a niche experiment but a lasting component of the financial system. In a talk titled “Is crypto here to stay?” he draws on his Argentine...
Kosovo’s Political Limbo Worries Brussels | A Debrief with Augustin Palokaj
Kosovo’s President dissolved parliament, but the Constitutional Court temporarily halted the decree, deepening the country’s institutional deadlock. Despite the EU lifting restrictive measures and earmarking up to €1.5 billion in pre‑accession funds, Kosovo remains the only Western Balkan without candidate status....
The Impact of the Iran Conflict on Global Energy Markets
Iran’s retaliatory strikes against regional targets have tightened crude supplies, pushing Brent above $90 per barrel and prompting a sharp rally in global oil prices. OPEC+ responded with a modest output increase to cushion the market, while non‑OPEC producers accelerated...
What's the State of Russia's Economy?
Four years after its invasion of Ukraine, Russia's economy remains heavily shaped by Western sanctions and its reliance on energy exports. The Atlantic Council's Economic Statecraft Initiative highlighted that while sanctions have strained the oil sector, shadow fleets and alternative...
How Can Kelp Help Solve the Climate Crisis?
The video spotlights kelp as a climate‑change solution, noting a $500 billion market and its presence along roughly one‑third of the world’s coastlines. Researchers cite kelp forests sequestering up to twenty times more carbon per hectare than terrestrial forests, at a capture...
Will China Attempt to Invade Taiwan in the Next Ten Years?
The Atlantic Council’s Global Foresight Survey asks whether the People’s Republic of China will attempt a military takeover of Taiwan within the next decade. The poll finds that 70 % of security experts believe an invasion is likely, and more than...
Iran Wants to "Inflict Great Pain" Throughout the Middle East Following US-Israel Attacks
Following recent U.S. and Israeli strikes, Iran declared its intention to inflict significant pain throughout the Middle East, signaling a broader escalation. Victoria Taylor, director of the Iraq Initiative at the Atlantic Council, said Tehran's move to widen the conflict...
Navigating a New Era in Syria: Strategic Opportunities for the US and Turkey
The Atlantic Council panel examined Syria’s path toward economic reintegration, emphasizing how renewed U.S.–Turkey cooperation could shape the country’s reconstruction. Participants highlighted the lingering fallout from fifteen years of war—mass refugee flows, security threats from the PKK, ISIS and Iran,...
The Iran War, Khamenei's Death, and the Future of the Middle East
The video showcases an unboxing of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2, 40 mm model, presented in a striking pink‑gold finish. The creator, Tyler, walks viewers through the sleek packaging, noting the premium aesthetics of both the watch and its box,...
EXIM Bank Chairman John Jovanovic on US Priorities for Global Competitiveness
The Atlantic Council hosted Export‑Import Bank Chairman John Jovanovic to outline the U.S. administration’s blueprint for restoring global competitiveness. Jovanovic framed the bank’s mission around four strategic pillars—returning to fundamentals to re‑industrialize America, asserting energy dominance, securing supply‑chain resilience,...
Trump’s 'Peace Through Strength' Doctrine in Iran Explained
The speaker frames Trump’s Iran approach as a “peace through strength” doctrine favoring short, sharp uses of force rather than protracted occupations. The administration aims to avoid an Iraq/Afghanistan-style quagmire, claiming it has already met key objectives—reinforcing red lines, removing...
What's Next After the Death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei?
The video frames the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as a historic turning point after 36 years of hardline rule that entrenched revolutionary ideology, backed repression at home and aggressive foreign policy abroad. The narrator ties Khamenei’s tenure...
View From Tel Aviv After US and Israel Strike Iran
Dan Shapiro reported from the roof of Tel Aviv’s municipal building, describing a harrowing day of repeated sirens, missile interceptions and a direct strike that killed one civilian and wounded roughly fifteen, including children. The attacks followed coordinated Iranian missile...
Pick Your Poison: The Enduring Threat of Biological Toxins
The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense convened at the Atlantic Council to chart the evolving threat landscape of biological toxins. Experts examined how state and non‑state actors could weaponize agents such as ricin, botulinum toxin, and newly engineered proteins. The briefing...
Removing the "Mechanism of Harm": Lessons From Syria for US-Turkey Relations
A former military and State Department adviser argues that US-Turkey ties have been strained for a decade by conflicting Syria policies, and likens the need to resolve that strain to the medical principle of removing the "mechanism of harm." He...
China and Latin America, Explained: A Conversation with Brian Fonseca
The video features Dr. Brian Fonseca discussing how China’s expanding economic, technological, and security footprint in Latin America and the Caribbean is reshaping U.S. hemispheric strategy. He frames the issue within the latest U.S. National Security Strategy, which labels Beijing...
Turkey's Evolving Role in a New Global Geopolitical and Security Order
Speakers at the Atlantic Council event argued that amid a perceived shift away from a US-led rules-based order, Turkey is consolidating its role as a middle power by pursuing strategic autonomy through hedging, expanded defense and energy self-sufficiency, regional mediation,...
Evolving Relationship Between US and Europe on Display at Munich Security Conference
The Munich Security Conference centered on the future of the transatlantic partnership, highlighting a noticeable shift in Washington’s tone. After a year of sharp rhetoric, U.S. officials presented a more conciliatory, "charm offensive" aimed at easing tensions with European allies. Analysts...
On the Ground in Munich: The Agenda for Middle East Integration at MSC
The Munich Security Conference 2026 turned its spotlight on a bold agenda for Middle East integration, drawing a parallel to Europe’s post‑World War II unification that helped end centuries of instability. Delegates acknowledged that the aftermath of the Gaza war has...
On the Ground: What to Expect at the Munich Security Conference 2026
The 2026 Munich Security Conference convenes world leaders and security experts amid growing doubts about the durability of the post‑Cold‑War order. Hosted by the Atlantic Council in Munich’s historic hotel venue, the gathering arrives as the United States settles into...
Report Launch: Negotiating with Putin’s Russia
The Atlantic Council released a new paper, "At the table negotiating with Putin’s Russia," by Donald Jensen and Yulia Osmolovska that examines Russian negotiation practice. The authors argue Moscow treats diplomacy as non-kinetic warfare aimed at decisively winning, not seeking...
Congressman John Moolenaar on Deterring Aggression Against Taiwan
Congressman John Moolenaar told an Atlantic Council audience that deterring a Chinese attack on Taiwan is a top U.S. national‑security priority. He highlighted a new bipartisan House Select Committee report that outlines how Beijing’s goal to forcefully annex Taiwan by...
He Predicted War with China in 2025. Now Retired Gen. Minihan Discusses Why It Hasn't Happened—Yet.
Retired four‑star General Mike Minahan sat down with the Atlantic Council’s Indo‑Pacific Security Initiative to explain a 2023 internal memo that famously warned, “I hope I’m wrong, but I think we will fight in 2025.” The document, drafted after he took...
China and Latin America, Explained: A Conversation with Samantha Custer
The episode examines why Latin America and the Caribbean have turned to Chinese investment, featuring development‑finance expert Samantha Kuster. She outlines how China’s credit lines and policy‑bank lending have grown dramatically, with Beijing financing roughly 3,300 projects worth $33 billion since...
Kroenig on NPR on Iran
Atlantic Council vice‑president and Scowcroft Center senior director Matthew Kroenig appeared on NPR on Feb. 11 to discuss the Trump administration’s ongoing negotiations with Iran. He outlined the limited progress of back‑channel talks aimed at reviving a nuclear agreement and highlighted...
Global Foresight 2036: What Will the Next Decade Bring?
The Atlantic Council unveiled its fifth annual Global Foresight 2036 report, a multi‑component effort that combines a survey of roughly 450 geostrategists from 72 countries, a series of “snow leopard” under‑the‑radar trends, and a new video series on artificial intelligence....
Is a Dollar Vibe Shift Under Way?
The Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center podcast explores whether a sustained dollar depreciation is emerging. Host Dan McDowell explains how a weaker greenback could reshape U.S. trade balances, investment flows, and national‑security calculations. The discussion highlights potential benefits for exporters alongside higher...
Global Foresight 2036: Forecasting with Artificial Intelligence
The video “Global Foresight 2036” uses ChatGPT to illustrate how artificial‑intelligence tools synthesize expert forecasts about two high‑impact scenarios: the likelihood of a major war in the next ten years and the arrival of artificial general intelligence by 2036. Analysts surveyed...
Mining Corridors as Catalysts: Building on the Lobito Model
In December 2025 the United States and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a strategic partnership that gives Washington preferential access to Congolese mineral deposits. The article argues that the next step is building logistics corridors, using the Lobito Corridor—linking...
Global Foresight 2036
The Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center released Global Foresight 2036, its fifth strategic‑foresight report. Drawing on a survey of nearly 450 geostrategists and foresight practitioners, the paper outlines a ten‑year vision across geopolitics, the global economy, technology, and Earth systems. It highlights...
