Yasir Atalan

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

Yasir Atalan is a data fellow in the Futures Lab at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He is also a PhD candidate in political science at American University. At CSIS, his research focuses on technology and its implications for international security, with a special emphasis on AI in future warfare. His dissertation is centered on civil-military relations, regional politics, and the diffusion of instabilities. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Business Insider, War on the Rocks, and Defense One as well as peer-reviewed journals. As a graduate fellow at the Center for Data Science at American University, Mr. Atalan has been an active contributor to computational social science projects. Previously, he served as a replication analyst for the Political Analysis journal at Cambridge University Press. Mr. Atalan earned his 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

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

AI Benchmarking and the Future of Foreign Policy

Winning the AI race requires more than innovation—it demands tested, trustworthy systems. The Trump administration’s AI Action Plan is bold, but without foreign policy benchmarks, the United States risks strategic missteps in the very domains it seeks to lead. 

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan — July 24, 2025

Audio Briefs

AI Benchmarking and the Future of Foreign Policy

An audio version of “⁠AI Benchmarking and the Future of Foreign Policy⁠,” a new Commentary 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 — July 24, 2025

Audio Briefs

Iran’s Options for Retaliating Against Israel

Iran faces a critical decision in responding to Israel’s unprecedented attacks; with an increasingly narrow options, the likely option will be a choice of missile and drone retaliation directly targeting Israel. 

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan — June 13, 2025

Audio Briefs

Russia Conducts Largest Air Attack on Ukraine to Date

An audio version of “⁠Russia Conducts Largest Air Attack on Ukraine to Date⁠,” a new Critical Questions by CSIS’s Yasir Atalan and Benjamin Jensen. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Yasir Atalan and Benjamin Jensen — May 29, 2025

Audio Briefs

Russia Conducts Largest Air Attack on Ukraine to Date

Russia’s largest air assault—over 1,000 drones and missiles—reveals growing stockpiles and production capacity. The scale, new tactics, and domestic manufacturing highlight a sharpened strategy aimed at gaining leverage in peace negotiations.

Critical Questions by Yasir Atalan and Benjamin Jensen — May 29, 2025