In the last ten years, the Sahel region in Africa has been ravaged by violence, political turmoil, and a series of military coups. In domestic politics, the balance has shifted from slightly conventional democratic processes to violent overthrowing of governments by military juntas.. Insurgencies such as Jihad, Tuareg rebels, and allied Islamists overran Northern Mali in 2012, causing turmoil and great grief. A French intervention deterred the insurgents as part of a military operation. In 2015, the conflict in Mali spilled over to Burkina Faso, where Islamic insurgents and Jihadists controlled approximately 40% of Burkinabe territory.V iolence perpetrated by Islamic terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda affiliates and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) – eventually spread into Central Sahel countries and resulted in abuses and crimes against humanity.
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The Russian hegemony has roots in the Old Empire and has dominated Eastern Europe for centuries and, as the Soviet Union, for the last 100 years.
Eurasianism - A more inclusive approach considering that Russia is made of Slavic, Turkic, and Asian ethnicities. This view became prevalent during Vladimir Putin's presidency. Even though Moscow remains the metropolis, Russia's policy seems to shift more toward eurosianism. Thus, the Heartland theory is still at the core of Russia's control over Eastern Europe and Asia

Many Eastern European countries became members of the European Union (EU), and NATO which has had a major impact on their political and economic development. This path to integrations has created tensions between some Eastern European countries and the EU, over issues such as migration, rule of law, corruption and minority’s rights etc.