In addition to its many other effects, the war in Ukraine has raised concerns about peace and stability in the Balkans. Given the extent of Russia’s economic and military power in the Balkans, its ongoing aggression against Ukraine risks exacerbating the existing political and ethnic divisions, which could contribute to violent extremism in the region.

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) – the largest grain importing region in the world, the interruption of the grain market that has been caused by the war is having negative repercussions on food security. This could in turn have negative implications for social cohesion in the region.

In this Brown Bag Lunch discussion, the coordinators of the CONNEKT, PAVE and PREVEX Horizon 2020-funded projects will present the results of their research on the drivers of radicalisation and violent extremism, and share some reflections on the impact of the war in Ukraine on the Balkans and the MENA region.

They will consider the following questions:

• To what extent does the war in Ukraine add new layers of complexity to the phenomena of radicalisation and violent extremism in the Balkans and the MENA region?
• Are there new emerging drivers that need to be considered?

Please note that this will be an in-person meeting. Seats are limited and registration is mandatory. Please contact Lorenzo Conti if you would like to participate.