Yasir Atalan

Deputy Director and Data Fellow, Futures Lab, Defense and Security Department
Yasir Atalan

Yasir Atalan is a deputy director and data fellow in the Futures Lab at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. His research focuses on technology and international security, with particular emphasis on how artificial intelligence is reshaping conflict dynamics. Dr. Atalan examines how AI agents can be responsibly integrated into defense and foreign policy systems by enabling agentic decision-support workflows. He also studies the changing character of warfare and civil-military relations. Atalan’s research has been featured in the New York Times, CNN, Financial Times, BBC, Foreign Policy, Business Insider, War on the Rocks, and Defense One, as well as in peer-reviewed journals. He also serves as a faculty fellow at the Center for Data Science at American University, where he contributes to computational social science initiatives. Previously, he worked as a replication analyst for the journal Political Analysis at Cambridge University Press. He received his PhD in political science from American University, an MA in Middle Eastern studies from King’s College London, and a BS in political science and international relations from Bogazici University.

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Audio Briefs

Will Trump’s Peace Plan for Ukraine Succeed?

An audio version of "⁠Will Trump’s Peace Plan for Ukraine Succeed?⁠," a new Critical Questions by CSIS's Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan — November 21, 2025

Audio Briefs

Will Trump’s Peace Plan for Ukraine Succeed?

Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine could open the door to negotiations—but its territorial concessions, weak security guarantees, and amnesty provisions risk making the deal collapse before it begins.

Critical Questions by Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan — November 21, 2025

Russia’s Intense Air Campaign in October

Russia's recent missile strikes indicate a transition in strategy and doctrine, where industrial capacity plays a growing role in determining battlefield dynamics. Massed salvos have given way to a more flexible strike schedule, necessitating an adaptive defensive strategy.

Commentary by Yasir Atalan, Erik Tiersten-Nyman, and Benjamin Jensen — November 14, 2025

Audio Briefs

Russia’s Intense Air Campaign in October

An audio version of “⁠Russia’s Intense Air Campaign in October⁠,” a new Commentary by CSIS’s Yasir Atalan, Erik Tiersten-Nyman, and Benjamin Jensen. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Yasir Atalan, Erik Tiersten-Nyman, and Benjamin Jensen — November 14, 2025

Audio Briefs
Audio Briefs

What Could a Trump Peace Plan in Ukraine Look Like?

An audio version of "⁠What Could a Trump Peace Plan in Ukraine Look Like?⁠," a new Critical Questions by CSIS's Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan — October 17, 2025

Audio Briefs

What Could a Trump Peace Plan in Ukraine Look Like?

As Trump’s team pushes for a Ukraine peace deal amid new pressure on Russia, experts and AI models outline the most likely outcomes, from frozen frontlines to the economic and security terms shaping negotiations.

Critical Questions by Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan — October 17, 2025

Russia’s Massed Strikes: The Strategy of Coercion by Salvo

Moscow calibrates the scale and tempo of its strikes depending on the political environment. Russia sought to avoid dominating international headlines with massive salvos while talks were underway. Once the talks concluded, however, Russia quickly resumed large-scale operations.

Critical Questions by Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan — September 9, 2025

Audio Briefs

Russia’s Massed Strikes: The Strategy of Coercion by Salvo

An audio version of “⁠Russia’s Massed Strikes: The Strategy of Coercion by Salvo⁠,” a new critical questions by CSIS’s Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan — September 9, 2025

Audio Briefs

The New Salvo War

Russia’s evolving aerial campaign has normalized massed drone and missile salvos—now exceeding 700 munitions per strike and occurring days apart. This shift marks a deliberate strategy to overwhelm Ukraine through volume, persistence, and psychological pressure.

Brief by Benjamin Jensen, Yasir Atalan, and Erik Tiersten-Nyman — July 31, 2025