Europe and Central Asia Overview: April 2026
Ukraine ramped up strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, and attacks linked to war in the Middle East spanned several countries.
Research Desks
Staff
Joel Crisetig
Western Europe Assistant Research Manager
Joel is the Western Europe Assistant Research Manager at ACLED. He has been with the organization since August 2023, when he joined as a France Researcher. He currently assists in the management of the desk, the production of analysis, and quality insurance. Joel holds an MA in International Affairs from Johns Hopkins University, an MA in European Governance from the University of Münster, and an MA in Political Risk and Economic Intelligence from Sciences Po Lille. His focus lies in the social drivers of political radicalization and armed conflict, with a focus on Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Joel speaks French, German, English, Italian, and Arabic
Content by this author
Europe and Central Asia Overview: March 2026
A drone strike on a UK base in Cyprus brought Europe closer to the US-Israel-Iran war, and Ukraine targeted Russia’s energy infrastructure.
Joel Crisetig on the killing of far-right activist Quentin Deranque in Lyon
ACLED’s Assistant Research Manager for Western Europe, Joel Crisetig, comments on Lyon killing and France’s political violence escalation.
Europe and Central Asia Overview: February 2026
This past month, people in Greenland and Denmark took to the streets to protest threats of US annexation, and Russia has plunged Ukraine into its worst energy crisis since the start of the war.
Europe and Central Asia Overview: January 2026
Farmers in Greece and France took to the streets in large numbers, and Ukraine targeted Russian oil and gas infrastructure in the Caspian Sea while Russia bombed key locations in Ukraine’s Odesa region.
Europe and Central Asia Overview: October 2025
European Pro-Palestine demonstrations reached their highest level since May 2024, Russian drones veering off course raised suspicion of a provocation, and hundreds of thousands rallied in France over austerity measures.
Europe and Central Asia Overview: May 2025
In April 2025, drug traffickers in France attacked prisons, gunfire intensified along the Armenia-Azerbaijan borders, and Russia advanced slowly in Ukraine amid increased targeting of civilians.
Latin America and the Caribbean Overview: January 2025
The page discusses incidents of political violence and security challenges in various countries.
