Authoritarian powers are challenging the democratic world on every front, using military force, economic coercion, disinformation, and subversion to expand their influence and weaken open societies. Russia and China lead this effort, joined by partners such as Iran and North Korea, in an authoritarian alignment that spans hard security, technology, and the global economy. This hub is the gateway to analysis of the authoritarian threat: Russian aggression and hybrid tactics, Chinese influence over trade and technology, energy coercion, and the campaigns aimed at eroding trust in democratic institutions. Fellows and analysts assess how Russian aggression and Chinese influence reinforce this authoritarian alignment, where these regimes are vulnerable, and how the transatlantic community can push back. Explore analysis and commentary across the threats that authoritarian states pose to Europe and North America.
Authoritarian Threats
What opportunities exist for members of the transatlantic community to collaborate in an effort to mitigate long-term strategic and economic challenges?
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July 13, 2018
The Weakness of Putinomics
July 12, 2018
Estonian Students Discover Kremlin Propaganda
Western countries are not as defenseless against disinformation and propaganda as it may seem.
July 6, 2018
High Anxiety
Despite Vladimir Putin's falling approval ratings, the mood in Moscow these days is triumphant.
July 3, 2018
Avoiding Fake Deals With Moscow
In the usual scenario, an incoming U.S. President believes that he can be more successful than his predecessor in establishing a partnership with Russia’s leader. Trust is declared, promises are made, deals are struck, and Moscow’s previous acts of aggression against its neighbors are overlooked. This new détente gives cover for the Kremlin to prepare […]
July 2, 2018
Revisiting the “Open Letter” to Obama in the Era of Trump
In fact, people have been worrying about Kremlin revisionism and mischief since the 1990s. Another error is to assume that Donald Trump’s surprise election victory in 2016 undermined a previously solid European security order. True, the U.S. president’s reported off-the-cuff remarks can sound alarmingly ill-informed: “NATO is as bad as NAFTA;” the European Union was created […]
June 29, 2018
Need For Speed
How vulnerable is the Suwałki Corridor? And what can be done to defend it?
June 28, 2018
Spinning the Summit in Moscow
June 26, 2018
You Don’t Cut A Deal With An Extortionist
June 25, 2018
A U.S.-Russia Summit?
The impending Trump-Putin summit gives Atlanticists the jitters. Meeting the leader of the free world should be a reward for good behavior; the Russian leader has done nothing to deserve it. On current form, a showy deal—a new Yalta, some fear—could trade security (and allies) for nebulous pledges. Putting those gloomy thoughts aside, ponder possible […]