Brussels Playbook Podcast
POLITICO’s daily audio briefing on what’s moving Brussels — and why it matters. The Brussels Playbook Podcast is the audio extension of the Brussels Playbook newsletter. Hosted by POLITICO's chief EU correspondent, Zoya Sheftalovich, the podcast runs Monday through Thursday, offering a clear, reporting-driven guide to EU politics in under 15 minutes. Each episode takes listeners inside the decisions, power shifts and debates shaping the day in Brussels — and explains how they connect to national capitals across Europe. On Fridays, the same feed features a longer episode that goes deeper into the week’s biggest themes.
Episodes
The US embassy's divisive birthday bash
The U.S. embassy’s mega 250th birthday bash in Brussels is one of the most sought-after events for the city’s top brass ... but it’s also drawing ire.
Today on the show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart discuss why MEPs and environmental activists are growing increasingly frustrated with this American July 4th celebration. The event is set to be attended by 5,000 people and will shut down the pu
When K-pop diplomacy hits Brussels
South Korea’s president is in Brussels for the first EU-South Korea summit in three years — a visit that starts with K-pop diplomacy but quickly moves to chips, trade, defense and China.
Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart look at why Seoul has become such an important partner for Europe and why South Korea’s role in Europe’s rearmament push is also politically awkward.
The due also discuss Commis
Can Ireland defend its trade with Russia?
The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, heads to Dublin today with awkward questions for Ireland.
The country is facing increased scrutiny over the fact that a Russian-owned refinery on Irish soil continues exporting alumina to Russia — a raw material that can feed Moscow’s industrial and military supply chains. The timing is especially awkward since Dublin is preparing to take over the EU’s rotating
Albania's 'flamingo revolution' comes to Brussels
The EU is struggling to land a new deal on consumer protections for airline passengers.
After a week of intense negotiations that ultimately failed, transport ministers are meeting today to discuss the current state of play. The main sticking points: rules on compensation for delayed flights and the ease of filing these compensation claims.
Also on the show, the far-right National Rally is lead
Can Europe quit American Big Tech?
The European Commission has finally unveiled its long-awaited tech sovereignty package — a push to make Europe less dependent on foreign technology after years of relying on U.S. cloud services, chips, AI infrastructure and digital tools.
Sarah Wheaton is joined by former MEP Marietje Schaake, author of The Tech Coup and POLITICO’s Laurens Cerulus to ask what happens when the systems running Euro
Is Italy's Giorgia Meloni in trouble?
With a slowing economy, soaring energy costs and mounting pressure on defense spending, PM Giorgia Meloni faces an uphill battle in next year’s Italian election.
Amid all this, Zoya and Ian discuss how a recent European Commission decision to exempt certain green investments from its public-spending rules is a small win for the Italian leader. They dig deeper into the thought process behind this
The jobs squeeze facing Europe
Today the Commission will publish its European Semester Spring Package, a checkup on EU countries’ economies. But the news isn’t too good.
The report warns that over a million jobs across Europe could be lost in the coming years as a result of high energy costs, competition from abroad and the green transition. On the pod, Zoya and Ian discuss these major labor market challenges.
Also happening
Who keeps the Russian shadow fleet afloat?
As the EU prepares to target Russia’s shadow fleet in the 21st sanctions package, we’re looking at the system that keeps these ships in business.
Every one of these Russian vessels carrying sanctioned goods requires port access, crews, financial services and more to stay operational. On today’s episode, Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton pinpoint insurance in particular. They explain how, even t
Europe’s toughest migration plan yet
The EU is edging closer to one of its most controversial migration policies yet: sending failed asylum seekers to return hubs outside the bloc.
Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur discuss the latest negotiations over tougher deportation rules, why countries are already exploring potential deals from Albania to Central Asia, and why critics warn the plans could create offshore detention centers.
T
China: the 'abusive' partner the EU just can’t quit?
Is the EU finally ready to get serious about China?
That’s the question increasingly dominating conversations in Brussels as fears grow that Europe is being squeezed by Beijing’s industrial machine.
Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Sander Tordoir from the Centre for European Reform, Grzegorz Stec from MERICS and POLITICO’s Jordyn Dahl to discuss the European Commission's attempts to forge a comm
The ban threat facing Europe's far right
Europe’s far right is yet again under the microscope as a European Parliament watchdog moves to ban the Alternative for Germany’s EU party.
On the show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton discuss how the far-right Europe of Sovereign Nations party — home to Germany’s AfD — risks losing EU funding and even its status as a political party. In a 300-page letter, the Authority for European Political
Kallas, von der Leyen and the rivalry over EU intelligence
Brussels is beefing up its intelligence machinery.
Zoya Sheftalovich and Kathryn Carlson talk about the growing role of INTCEN — the EU’s little-known intelligence-analysis hub inside the European External Action Service — and the quiet power struggle brewing between Kaja Kallas’ diplomatic service and Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission over who gets to handle sensitive security information in Bru
Should Europe talk to Putin?
Europe is still reeling from the recent drone incursions into Baltic airspace.
In a show of solidarity, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius are in Lithuania today following last week’s drone scare. Today on the Brussels Playbook Podcast, we unpack the latest developments, including discussions about Baltic companies teaming up with Ukrainian firms t
From the Baltic to the Balkans: Putin is testing European leaders
There’s an ominous backdrop to this year’s GLOBSEC forum in Prague as the war in Ukraine strays into the skies over NATO’s Eastern flank. The last few weeks have seen an increasing number of drone incursions in the Baltics — Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia — across EU airspace.
And there are questions over America’s commitment to European security ahead of an important NATO summit in Ankara in July
Why are drones suddenly terrifying Europe?
With drone alerts, emergency shelters and fighter jets over the Baltics, Europe’s security fears suddenly feel much less theoretical at the GLOBSEC forum in Prague.
On the ground in Czechia for the Brussels Playbook Podcast, Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur unpack the growing wave of drone incursions linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine. They also discuss why Baltic leaders are sounding the alarm
Brussels wanted less red tape. It hasn't proved as easy as that.
Brussels is discovering that cutting red tape may be harder without actual experts in the room. As the EU races ahead with its deregulation drive, concerns are growing over rushed lawmaking, weaker safeguards and the sidelining of technical specialists.
Then, EU leaders are exploring ways to make Russia sanctions harder to block — including extending renewal deadlines from six months to a year —
Budapest and Kyiv break the ice
After years of Hungary’s former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán blocking Ukraine’s path to join the EU, Budapest and Kyiv are talking again. That has Brussels wondering if Hungary might finally be softening its position on Ukrainian accession.
Today on the pod, Nick and Ian discuss why joining the bloc is so important to the war-torn nation and why — even if the mood is shifting in Budapest — it’s u
Why Brussels is getting tougher on China
The European Commission is preparing to take a much tougher line on China, we hear on this episode of the Brussels Playbook Podcast, with Zoya Sheftalovich joined by Nick Vinocur. Brussels is growing increasingly worried about cheap imports, industrial decline and dependence on Chinese critical raw materials.
Then: Despite 20 EU sanctions packages against Russia, a major investigation reveals how
Two transatlantic power brokers on why Europe should step up on Iran and double down on Ukraine
Welcome to the very first edition of the Brussels Playbook Week Ender. Anne McElvoy travels to the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, an annual event that brings together defenders of democracy in the Danish capital. As U.S. President Donald Trump visits China and the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran remain unresolved, how is Europe grappling with crises on multiple fronts?
Anne sits down with two influen
The Commission’s next big overhaul?
One of the Commission’s oldest and most powerful departments may be heading for a dramatic overhaul — or even extinction.
DG REGIO oversees the hundreds of billions of euros that go towards the social development of local regions and cities. But its potential restructuring by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is a clear sign that the EU's aims are shifting. Zoya and Ian explain the think
Could influencers crash future EU summits?
Ukraine wants Europe more involved in peace efforts with Russia — but who exactly would represent Europe in those talks? After Vladimir Putin floated former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a possible negotiator, Brussels reacted with disbelief.
Host Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur unpack the growing debate around Europe’s role in future peace negotiations, including Nick’s interview with
French cinema is spooked by the far right
When foreign ministers meet in Brussels today, Israel and Russia will likely dominate the agenda.
Today on the pod, Zoya and Nick discuss why the bloc might finally be able to move forward on sanctioning several Israeli individuals involved with settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Plus, the EU is looking to move forward on a new round of sanctions towards Russia, hoping to pre
Who’s “European” — and who’s not?
We’re talking identity this week on EU Confidential — in more ways than one.
First, host Sarah Wheaton sits down with Theresa Kuhn, professor of European studies at the University of Amsterdam, who has led a major research project tracking how European identity has evolved across the continent over the past five decades.
At a moment when Europe feels tense, vulnerable and under pressure, Kuhn’s
Field trip to Russia, anyone?
Péter Magyar promised a full reset between Hungary and Brussels after Viktor Orbán’s defeat — but the EU may be ready to unlock only part of Hungary’s frozen billions. Zoya Sheftalovich, dialing in from Madrid, and Sarah Wheaton unpack the first possible tensions emerging between Brussels and post-Orbán Hungary.
Then: a right-wing MEP is planning a trip to Russia — and inviting fellow lawmakers a
Why the EU is freaked out about a new AI model
The European Commission is unveiling its new anti-poverty strategy today. The only problem is ... it doesn’t include any new cash.
On the pod, Zoya and Ryan discuss how the EU executive is justifying the lack of new funding in this plan. They also look at how likely the bloc is to reach its target of eradicating poverty by 2050 (spoiler alert: not very likely).
That’s not the only strategy on th
The Parliament’s misspent €1.5 million
Political parties are misspending their cash, while the public is left in the dark about what’s going on.
The European Parliament’s department of finance found political parties and foundations had misspent €1.5 million during the 2024 EU election campaign. Zoya and Ian discuss which parties are the biggest offenders. They also explain how the Parliament — with the help of complex bureaucratic pr
Putin’s ‘window of opportunity’ to test NATO
Europe yet again finds itself on the receiving end of Donald Trump’s ire.
On Friday, the U.S. president threatened to raise tariffs on European cars to 25 percent, as frustration grows in Washington over the slow pace of an EU-U.S. trade deal. Trump had also called for withdrawing U.S. troops from Germany earlier in the week as a response to German leader Friedrich Merz’s sharp criticism of the
Why the ECB is in a tricky spot
The European Central Bank will meet today and make a decision that depends heavily on events happening thousands of kilometers away.
That’s because the war in Iran has pushed up energy prices and inflation. ECB President Christine Lagarde and her fellow rate-setters will be in a tricky spot when deciding whether to raise borrowing costs. Zoya and Ian explain the dilemma.
The conflict in the Mid
The Hungary reset: Magyar in Brussels chasing EU funds
The power shift in Budapest hasn’t happened yet — but Brussels is already engaging with what comes next.
Péter Magyar arrives in Brussels as Hungary’s incoming prime minister, skipping the usual waiting period and heading straight into talks with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. His aim: unlocking billions in EU funds frozen over rule-of-law concerns. Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton
The €1.8 trillion standoff
Today on the pod, we’re talking money, money, money.
An important vote on the EU’s next long-term budget is happening in the European Parliament. Zoya and Nick discuss how lawmakers are pushing for a bigger cash pot ... which will likely cause a stir with some countries. We unpack the battle lines already starting to form.
Also, the College of Commissioners is meeting in Strasbourg to discuss ho
Berlin turns up the heat
Europe is staring down a familiar and unwelcome set of circumstances: rising energy prices, slowing growth and growing political pressure.
As the fallout from the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran ripples through global markets, EU governments are scrambling to cushion the blow — with far fewer tools than they had when the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine triggered the last energy crisis.
Zoya Sh
Don't aggravate Trump on Iran: Veteran US ambassador to NATO's friendly advice to European leaders
The fragile ceasefire in the Persian Gulf and the uncertainty over peace talks between the U.S. and Iran have cast a long shadow over European capitals hoping for an end to hostilities in the Middle East. Will they have any say over what happens next?
The wars in Iran and Ukraine have exposed the chasm between U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration in Washington and opinion on this side of
Too many crises for one summit?
On today's show, Ian is in the sunny Mediterranean nation of Cyprus for the biggest gathering of EU leaders on the island for many, many years.
Sarah joins from Brussels and Nick dials in from Greece, where he’s attending the Delphi Economic Forum.
Expect the agenda of the leaders' summit today and tomorrow to be heavy on geopolitics. High on the list of topics to discuss are the Iran crisis, h
The clock is ticking on the EU’s next budget
Brussels faces a narrowing window to strike a deal on its next long-term budget.
EU leaders gather in Cyprus this week for a potential clash over the bloc’s €1.8 trillion plan — already dividing north and south, farmers and reformers, capitals and Brussels. Council President Antonio Costa wants momentum. But with proposed new EU taxes, debt repayments and looming elections on the table, compromi
No Orbán, no excuses
EU foreign ministers are meeting in Luxembourg today to discuss a hefty list of geopolitical crises. But compared with past gatherings, something feels ... different.
That might be because, without the presence of an obstructionist Hungary, the meeting could finally result in movement on several key topics. Ian and Sarah discuss whether we can expect decisive action to be taken on issues like the
SPONSORED EPISODE: Energy, security and the new European risk landscape
Europe, in efforts to disentangle itself from Russian gas, has become increasingly aware of the vulnerability of its web of pipelines, subsea cables and offshore installations to hybrid attacks.
A million kilometers of undersea cables transport 95 percent of the world’s internet traffic, and more than 200,000 kilometers of active oil and gas pipelines run across Europe. That physical infrastruct
The Board of Peace, EU edition
This week's agenda is brimming with high-level summits and meetings on foreign affairs. The EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, kicks it all off by focusing minds on Gaza.
Today Kallas hosts back-to-back events to promote a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinian territories. Ian and Nick discuss how the EU is using the occasion to position itself as an authority on the future of Gaza and p
What Orbán’s ouster means for MAGA, Le Pen and Brussels
Election night in Hungary was an emotional and teary one ... but now, the work begins.
The winners — Peter Magyar’s Tisza party — have the daunting task of reversing years of democratic backsliding that went on under Viktor Orbán’s watch. Meanwhile, Fidesz — and far-right parties across Europe — have some intense soul searching to do to figure out what went wrong in Orbán’s campaign.
Our panel o
Can an ex-fighter-jet pilot run Bulgaria?
Viktor Orbán may be out — but his man in Brussels is not.
Today on the pod, Ian and Sarah discuss how the Hungarian Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi is expected to stay on in the Berlaymont after his Fidesz party's landslide election loss back home. They explain why neither the Commission nor the new Hungarian government are in a rush to get rid of the Orbán ally.
Next, they talk about the frontrunn
The rise of the centrist dads
European ambassadors are gathering to prep for a leaders’ summit taking place in Cyprus next week. And yet again, the agenda will likely be dominated by geopolitical crises.
Ian Wishart and guest co-host Ryan Heath explain how topics like the budget, enlargement and competitiveness are falling by the wayside as the bulk of the meeting will instead focus on the fallout of the Iran war. They also
Inside Magyar’s grand bargain with the EU
The EU may be saying goodbye to Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, but the system that empowered him and the problems he’s left behind are still very much in place.
Today on the podcast, Ian Wishart and Nick Vinocur discuss what a new leader in Budapest means for issues like Russia sanctions and the €90 billion loan for Ukraine that Hungary has been blocking.
Also on the pod, Commission President Ursula v
After 16 years, Viktor Orbán loses
It’s the end of an era: Hungary’s Viktor Orbán is on the way out after suffering a crushing defeat in Hungary’s general election.
Péter Magyar, who will take his place as prime minister, is on course to win a supermajority in parliament.
In this election special, host Ian Wishart speaks with reporter Max Griera who’s been at the victorious Tisza watch party in Budapest and Jamie Dettmer, our fo
Inside the campaign to unseat Orbán
Hungarians may be the ones voting this Sunday — but all EU citizens have something at stake in the outcome of the election.
After years of obstructionism under PM Viktor Orbán, a new leader in Budapest could mark a turning point for the EU. But is Hungary's relationship with Brussels dominating the campaign domestically to the same extent it is internationally?
On today’s episode, host Sarah W
Hungary’s election enters crucial final days
It’s three days until the Hungarian election, and opposition leader Péter Magyar appears poised to end PM Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule.
If that happens, some in the Brussels bubble hope Magyar will take steps to improve Hungary’s strained relationship with the EU. But on today’s episode, host Zoya Sheftalovich and EU Policy Editor Sarah Wheaton explain why that won’t be easy — with the chore of un
Europe watches as Trump’s threats escalate
Donald Trump’s threats to wipe out Iran’s “whole civilization” shocked the world.
On the podcast today, host Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart, POLITICO’s senior EU politics editor, discuss the European reaction as the conflict in the Middle East spirals. Plus, NATO chief Mark Rutte is in Washington to meet the U.S. president, but what does he hope to achieve with so little consensus within the a
Why EU foreign policy keeps getting stuck
EU foreign policy runs on unanimity — and it’s starting to break down.
Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart unpack growing frustration with how the EU makes foreign policy, as divisions over Ukraine funding, Russia sanctions and the war in Iran expose the pitfalls of the veto. With calls — led by Germany and Sweden — mounting to scrap unanimity in foreign and security policy, the question is becomin
Can Britain and the EU get a Brexit reset deal over the line?
Despite the war in Iran and its economic consequences preoccupying London and Brussels, much work is going on behind the scenes to strike a closer relationship between the U.K. and the European Union.
Nearly a decade after Britain voted to leave the bloc, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has tasked his ministers with negotiating a post-Brexit reset that brings areas of the British economy in alignment
How secure are the Commission’s group chats?
Bulgaria is heading towards another tight parliamentary election this month — and it wants the EU to help counter malign foreign interference.
Haunted by memories of coordinated social media campaigns targeting other countries in the region, the government is concerned that Russian misinformation could sway public opinion ahead of the vote. Host Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart, senior EU politi
Preparing for a Covid-style crisis
An energy shock that once felt distant is starting to look very real as the war in Iran spirals ... and the EU is considering a Covid-style crisis response.
From emergency meetings to talk of jointly purchasing energy — host Zoya Sheftalovich and Senior EU Politics Editor Ian Wishart explain how some of the strategies being floated are straight out of the pandemic-era playbook.
Also on the pod,
Are fuel cuts back on the table?
Europe is facing another potential energy shock — and this time, Brussels is starting to float something politically tricky: using less fuel.
Host Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by POLITICO’s senior EU politics editor Ian Wishart to break down a warning from Brussels that points to a possible need to cut fuel use, as fears grow of a prolonged disruption linked to the war in Iran.
They also zoom in
Why rich countries want to join the EU
For two decades, aspiring EU members wanted to join the bloc to get richer. Now, that’s changing.
With conflicts raging at Europe’s doorstep and NATO shaky under Donald Trump, even rich countries want to join the bloc, hoping it’ll help them feel safer. Zoya and Nick unpack this shift on today’s episode.
Also on the show, we trace Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s political journey from a
A reckoning for Europe’s center left
The far right took some minor hits to its seemingly impenetrable armor this week, as people in Denmark, Italy, France and Slovenia headed to the polls.
But those votes also told another, more existential story: the slow-motion collapse of the EU’s center left.
To unpack what’s ailing left-leaning parties across the bloc, host Sarah Wheaton is joined by a panel of POLITICO colleagues: Clea Caulcu
The next refugee crisis
Officials are meeting in Brussels today to discuss the brutal civil war in Sudan and the looming refugee crisis that may result.
U.N. officials warn that the conflict could lead to a mass displacement on a par with what happened with Syria in 2011. Zoya and Sarah unpack what the various humanitarian agencies want the EU to do about it.
You’ll also be hearing from Cyprus’ Europe minister, Marile
About those energy bills, Commissioner...
Europe is facing another energy shock — so what can it actually do to keep prices down?
Zoya Sheftalovich speaks with Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen in a conversation recorded live at POLITICO’s Competitive Europe summit, on how the EU is responding to rising costs linked to the war in Iran — and what happens if the crisis drags on.
Then, back in the studio, Zoya and Ian Wishart look at the c
More Russian snooping allegations
After Hungary was accused of leaking sensitive EU discussions to the Kremlin, the spotlight is now shifting to Germany.
Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by Ian Wishart to unpack mounting concerns in Brussels over the far-right AfD’s access to confidential EU documents — and whether Europe’s open systems are creating new vulnerabilities.
The duo also discuss Denmark’s election, where Mette Frederiksen
Is Hungary leaking EU secrets? A crisis of trust in Brussels
Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur unpack Donald Tusk’s accusation that Hungary may have leaked sensitive European Council discussions to Moscow — and what that means for trust, decision-making and Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán’s position in Brussels.
Plus: Europe’s balancing act as Donald Trump turns up the pressure over Iran — and a breakdown of the weekend’s voting in France and Germany.
Question
High price to pay: EU and UN wrestle with Middle East war
This European Council summit was meant to be different — when Europe finally got serious about boosting homegrown industry and driving its own destiny without reacting to Donald Trump. But it was not to be. POLITICO’s Zoya Sheftalovich, Nick Vinocur and Zia Weise join EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton for late-night analysis of the response to high energy prices fueled by the war in Iran and the
Time for a tense summit
EU leaders gather in Brussels for a high-stakes summit — with Viktor Orbán once again at the center of the debate over funding Ukraine. As tensions rise, the big question is whether the Hungarian prime minister will hold the line or shift under pressure from fellow leaders.
At the same time, divisions are emerging over how Europe should respond to the war in Iran — from ways to tackle rising ener
Breaking the Orbán deadlock
Europe is working hard to end the standoff with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán over the €90 billion loan promised to Ukraine.
Host Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart, senior EU politics editor, discuss how likely it is for the deadlock to be resolved before tomorrow’s meeting of EU leaders now that Kyiv has agreed to work with the bloc to repair the Druzhba pipeline. Orbán has held off on
Europe rejects Trump’s Iran demands
European affairs ministers meet in Brussels to prepare this week’s EU summit — with discussions ranging from Ukraine and the war in Iran to the bloc’s next long-term budget and competitiveness.
But there is also motion on enlargement. Ukraine and Moldova are receiving the remaining negotiating clusters in their EU accession talks, while Montenegro is set to provisionally close another chapter.
M
The EU's energy dilemma
Energy markets are on edge as Iran tensions disrupt shipping and threaten supply shocks. EU foreign ministers and energy ministers meet in Brussels to discuss what the bloc can actually do to protect global energy flows — and whether it has the tools to act.
Meanwhile, Norway is positioning itself as a reliable energy lifeline as the geopolitical turmoil puts security of supply back in focus.
An
Europe should back American strikes on Iran, says key Merz ally
The mixed messages by President Trump and his administration about how long the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran will last have unnerved allies and shaken European markets. Two weeks into the conflict, EU capitals are asking when it will end and how they can influence what comes next — none more so than Berlin.
In this week's episode, host Anne McElvoy talks to a key ally of Chancellor Friedrich Mer
Zelenskyy vs. Orbán
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging Europe to find a way around Hungary.
In an interview with POLITICO’s Gordon Repinski, Zelenskyy called on EU leaders to come up with a “Plan B” to secure Ukraine’s long-term funding — and to work around what he described as the “blackmail” of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is holding up a promised €90 billion EU loan (listen to full in
Europe’s plan to keep Ukraine afloat
Ukraine is running out of money to fight Russia — but Hungary still isn’t budging on its opposition to the EU’s €90 billion loan to Kyiv.
On today’s episode, host Zoya Sheftalovich and Kathryn Carlson, senior finance reporter, outline some of the contingency plans European countries have up their sleeves to get Ukraine the funding it needs before it’s too late.
Also on the podcast, POLITICO’s Ka
Europe braces for an energy crisis
European leaders haunted by memories of the 2022 energy crisis are bracing for impact as the war in the Middle East begins to drive up oil and gas prices.
Today on the podcast, host Zoya Sheftalovich and Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Nicholas Vinocur discuss what tools the EU has at its disposal to soften the blow for consumers — is the bloc better prepared than it was four years ago?
Late
Von der Leyen accused of overreach
Some European governments are arguing Commission President Ursula von der Leyen overstepped her mandate in her response to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
On today’s episode, host Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur, POLITICO's chief foreign affairs correspondent, unpack the frustration they’re hearing from national diplomats who argue the latest Middle East crisis has seen von der Leyen wading on
How Europe survives when there are no rules
For decades, Europeans shared a simple belief: that the world — however messy — ultimately runs on rules.
But what if the escalating war in Iran shows that these rules no longer apply?
In this episode of EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton speaks to two foreign affairs experts who help unpack how the ongoing crisis in the Middle East impacts Europe.
Mark Leonard, director of the European Counci
Iran war: Europe weighs migration risk
A controversial new idea on EU enlargement is stirring debate in Brussels. Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton unpack a proposal known as “reverse enlargement,” as the European Commission tests how far EU capitals are willing to go to speed up Ukraine’s path toward the bloc.
Meanwhile, the war in Iran looms over two meetings in Brussels: EU foreign ministers hold talks with their Gulf counterpart
The making of 'Made in Europe'
“Made in Europe” is finally here.
After four delays and fierce internal battles, the European Commission unveils its Industrial Accelerator Act — a plan aimed at challenging China’s dominance in clean tech and tilting public procurement toward EU-made products.
Ian Wishart and senior finance reporter Kathryn Carlson break down what the push really means: Who stands to benefit, who fears creeping
Caught between wars
Europe is no longer watching the conflict in the Middle East from a distance — it’s directly entangled.
Iranian missiles flying over Cyprus. EU leaders divided over messaging. Von der Leyen and Kallas on parallel tracks. And Germany’s chancellor in Washington trying to shape the transatlantic line.
Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart break down the EU’s crisis response, the battle over who speaks
Europe's balancing act on Iran
After a weekend of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran — and the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — Brussels is moving to coordinate its diplomatic response. EU ambassadors convened, foreign ministers met online and Ursula von der Leyen called the Defense College. But as tensions escalate across the region, is Europe shaping events — or reacting to them?
Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur unpa
Diplomats or disruptors — when Trump’s ambassadors get ‘rude’
Ambassadors are supposed to smooth tensions, not spark them. But in recent weeks some American envoys in Europe – from Belgium to Poland and France — have found themselves at the center of very public political clashes, accusing allies of antisemitism, cutting ties with senior lawmakers, and even losing their access to government ministers.
Is this simply a more combative tone? Or does it reflect
Inside EU ambassadors' crisis 'bunker'
Brussels is adjusting to a shifting geopolitical landscape.
Coreper meetings — the regular gatherings of EU ambassadors — are becoming more frequent and a clear evidence of how the bloc is adapting. What was once largely preparatory now plays a central role in shaping negotiations before leaders ever sit down.
Then, the energy saga continues. The European Commission, responding to Hungary’s warn
Who showed up — and who didn't — for Kyiv's big day
Europe marked four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion with a high-profile show of solidarity in Kyiv on Tuesday. Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa stood alongside Volodymyr Zelenskyy — but the absence of some key leaders raised quiet questions in Ukraine about who showed up, and who didn’t.
Zoya Sheftalovich was on the ground in Kyiv for the anniversary events. She joins Ian Wishart to
Four years of war — and Hungary breaks EU unity
On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European leaders gather in Kyiv to signal unity and solidarity. But back in Brussels, Hungary blocks a new sanctions package against the Kremlin and a €90 billion loan to Ukraine.
Host Ian Wishart is joined by senior finance reporter Kathryn Carlson. We also hear from Zoya Sheftalovich on the train to Kyiv with Ursula von der L
Sanctions, tensions — and a birthday at the FAC
EU foreign ministers are gathering in Brussels with one clear goal: to agree on a 20th sanctions package against Russia. But Hungary is threatening to block it — linking its support to a growing energy standoff with Ukraine over disrupted oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline.
Host Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by POLITICO’s chief foreign affairs correspondent Nick Vinocur to unpack what’s at stak
The EU’s envoy to Ukraine on war, resilience — and Nordic walking
An air raid siren sounded as we were wrapping up our interview with the EU’s ambassador in Kyiv.
On this week’s EU Confidential, Sarah Wheaton speaks with Katarína Mathernová about what it means to live — and work — in a city under near-constant Russian threat. From bombardments, freezing temperatures and winter blackouts to EU accession hopes, we ask how Ukraine is holding up as another February
Testing Trump’s Board of Peace
The EU is taking a careful seat at Donald Trump’s first meeting of the Board of Peace — sending Mediterranean Commissioner Dubravka Šuica, but not signing up to the initiative. What does that say about Brussels’ strategy toward Washington?
POLITICO has also obtained a letter from nine EU countries urging the European Commission to explore the possibility of an EU fund to support cross-border abor
The EU’s plan to revive its frontline regions
The war in Ukraine is reshaping life well beyond the battlefield.
On this episode of the Brussels Playbook Podcast, Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart unpack the European Commission’s new plan to support EU regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine — from eastern Poland to the Baltics and Finland — where investment has slowed, trade has shifted and security concerns are weighing on local econo
Power play in European Parliament
A battle for power in the European Parliament is already underway — though quietly for now — with the midterm reshuffle a year away.
Behind the scenes, MEPs are counting votes, testing alliances and positioning themselves for the presidency and other top jobs.
On this episode of the Brussels Playbook Podcast, host Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by senior European politics editor Ian Wishart to unp
