Brussels Playbook Podcast
Episodes
Why Ukraine overshadowed the EU's big summit with Latin America
20 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this packed episode, we explain the outcomes of this week's summit with Latin America, we debate whether Americans can hold key roles in EU institu...
Ending an epidemic: innovations to eradicate HIV
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Governments around the world have committed to end HIV by 2030. The target is known as the 95-95-95 goals — 95 percent of people living with HIV dia...
NATO summit wrap-up and the EU's battle over biodiversity
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we bring you the latest from Vilnius as NATO leaders wrap up a crucial meeting of the defense alliance, plus all the news from Strasbourg a...
A cure for HIV: When will Europe get there?
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There’s one key weapon that would be a gamechanger in the fight to end HIV transmission in Europe by 2030 – a cure. Forty years after scientists ...
From Madrid: How Spain's election could impact its EU presidency
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week's EU Confidential comes to you from Madrid as Spain takes over the six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union. Spain's stint ...
The last bastion of stigma: Criminalizing HIV transmission
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Activists have worked for years to eliminate HIV-associated stigma. But within multiple European countries, people are still prosecuted for transmitti...
EU leaders meet in the shadow of failed Wagner mutiny in Russia
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our slightly-later edition of this week's EU Confidential comes to you from on-the-ground at the European Council — where the EU's 27 leaders are d...
From cell to cell: Eliminating HIV in prisons
27 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the first episode of our EU Confidential: In Focus mini-series on HIV in Europe, we take you inside a French prison successfully tackling the sprea...
Europe’s new Marshall Plan: making a bet on Ukraine
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s EU Confidential episode comes to you from London, where the Ukraine Recovery Conference has just wrapped up. Ukraine may still be fighti...
Artificial intelligence and the EU's attempt to regulate it — Commissioner Thierry Breton
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week's episode dives deep into artificial intelligence — and how the EU is responding to this rapidly developing technology. Host Suzanne Lynch...
Polish protests — Hungary's EU role — Sleeper train journey
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this bumper edition, we explain what's behind recent large protests in Poland, why some in Brussels want to stymie Hungary in the EU decision-makin...
From Moldova: The European Political Community is back
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week's episode comes to you from the second meeting of the European Political Community in the Moldovan capital of Chișinău. With over 40 hea...
EU's 'Defence of Democracy' debate on combatting foreign influence
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we debate the EU's latest attempt to combat foreign influence with its forthcoming "Defence of Democracy package," which some in Brussels c...
EU commissioner resigns — Bulgaria's breaking point — European elections 2024
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we dive into the political upheaval in Bulgaria and the resignation of the country's EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel. And we begin our spotl...
The end of Erdoğan? — Turkey's EU accession ambitions — Europe Day
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the focus is on Turkey and what's at stake in elections happening May 14. We also hear from British writer and scholar Hugh Pope, who has w...
POLITICO reviews ‘The Diplomat’ — Meloni surprises Brussels — The key to Ukraine's victory
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As the EU defense industry gets the green light to ramp up ammunitions production, we hear from former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe Ben Hodg...
Timothy Garton Ash on the future of Europe — Eva Kaili back in the spotlight
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"We have created the best Europe there has ever been" — so says Timothy Garton Ash, this week's special guest. Meanwhile, former vice president of t...
Ukraine grain strain — Von der Leyen 2.0 — EU diplomacy in review
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We're back from a break and straight into tackling the geopolitical tensions that underlie a sudden ban on Ukraine's grain exports by neighboring Pola...
Finland joins NATO — Ukraine foreign minister in Brussels — EU's China visit
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Finland joins NATO while Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, joins us here in the POLITICO studio to talk about his own country's NA...
France & Germany on strike – Commission Legal Chief, Daniel Calleja Crespo
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The worst strikes and protests in decades bring both France and Germany to a standstill this week. Is this just the beginning of Europe’s cost of li...
Economic jitters, French upheaval, arms for Ukraine — what’s occupying EU leaders
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Coming to you from this week’s European Council summit in Brussels, competitiveness and the economy are high on the agenda, alongside a historic EU ...
Das Auto debate — Activist Bill Browder on Russia's political prisoners
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We debate Germany's last-minute effort to derail EU plans to end the sale of combustion engines by 2035. And our special guest is author and activist ...
Viktor Orbán's political director — Sponsored flight flap — VDL meets Biden
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we debate a controversy over travel rules for top EU officials and unpack what the European Commission president is hoping to achieve durin...
New EU-UK chapter — VDL meets the king — Decoding Brussels-speak
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met King Charles III at Windsor Castle after a deal was sealed on a long-awaited solutio...
Russia's war in Ukraine, one year on: How Europe has changed
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As we approach the one year mark of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU Confidential crew chronicles the historic policy shifts in the EU ...
VDL's texts — MEPs arrested — Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we unpack some of the transparency issues plaguing the EU's top institutions, and our special guest is Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe ...
Zelenskyy in Brussels: the worst-kept secret in town — EU leaders on migration
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Coming to you during Thursday's meeting of EU leaders, we discuss Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's (not so) surprise visit to Brussels, as we...
EU-Ukraine summit — Fighter jets? — Moldovan President Maia Sandu
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
All eyes are on Ukraine as the EU's top officials visit Kyiv for a historic summit — the first to be held in an active war zone. And Moldovan Presi...
Scholz's tanks for your assistance — EU finance chief Mairead McGuinness: Crypto is like 'a religion'
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our POLITICO team has the inside scoop on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's long-awaited decision to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and how it's landin...
From Davos: Tanks to Ukraine — Irish PM Leo Varadkar — EU-US trade fight
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The EU Confidential crew takes you inside this week's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland where the world's rich and powerful are gathered. POL...
Director Oliver Stone talks nuclear power — EU economy chief Paolo Gentiloni
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's Thursday morning and today we bring you bumper editions from Davos with our final episode of the week landing later this evening. In this episode...
EU-US subsidy spat — Senator Joe Manchin — Diane von Furstenberg on Equality
18 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's Wednesday, and we're back with another episode from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch, Alex Ward and Jakob...
Pessimistic CEOs — WEF after Klaus Schwab — Crypto trust deficit
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As the World Economic Forum gets underway, we dive into the stories everyone is talking about on the Magic Mountain. POLITICO's Jakob Hanke Vela sits ...
POLITICO's World Economic Forum guide — Richard Edelman on trust
16 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From Davos, Switzerland, the POLITICO crew unpacks the big global issues facing businesses, governments and international organizations as top leaders...
From Stockholm: Sweden shifts right on crime and migration — EU Council captaincy
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the EU Confidential crew travels to Stockholm to examine Sweden's domestic political challenges such as migration, crime and climate — an...
2023 crystal ball — Qatargate update — Slovenian PM Robert Golob
05 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's a bumper edition to start the new year as we look ahead to the big stories likely to dominate the EU's agenda in 2023. POLITICO's top policy repo...
EU rocked by Qatar corruption scandal — 2022 highlights
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Our final episode of 2022 is a bumper edition featuring the latest news and analysis of the Qatar corruption scandal centering around the European Par...
From Tirana: Western Balkan bid — Author Misha Glenny — City of spies
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week's episode comes to you from the Albanian capital of Tirana where EU leaders met with Western Balkan hopefuls. And we dive into the fascinati...
Brewing EU-US trade war — Ukraine FM Dmytro Kuleba — Future of Europe
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we debate simmering industrial tensions in the EU over a new U.S. law. We also get an update on the situation in Ukraine, including from Fo...
Brussels' Twitter headache — Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko — EU 'Superstate'
24 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we debate how Europe is grappling with Twitter since Elon Musk took the helm. We hear from Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and discuss a new bo...
G20 summit digested — Viktor Orbán's authoritarian journey
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The annual gathering of G20 leaders in Bali, Indonesia was overshadowed by a deadly incident in Poland. A missile struck a village close to the border...
COP27 and Europe's climate role — A new Cold War?
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's episode, host Suzanne Lynch in Brussels speaks with Karl Mathiesen, POLITICO's senior climate correspondent, at the COP27 climate confe...
Europe braces for US mid-term elections
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As Americans head to the polls next week, we dive into transatlantic relations and the impact these elections could have on European policy and relati...
NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg — Commissioner Věra Jourová on EU media freedom
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discusses how the war in Ukraine has shaped the military alliance. We also dig into the EU's proposed la...
Live from EU leaders meeting on energy, Ukraine and China
21 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week's episode comes to you from the heart of the European Quarter in Brussels, where the 27 EU leaders are meeting once again for a European Cou...
Putin's escalation — Western Balkan migration concerns — Food security update
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch breaks down the reaction to Russia's recent escalation in Ukraine with an update from NATO headquarters. We ...
From Prague: The European Political Community is here
07 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week's EU Confidential comes to you from Prague Castle, where leaders of the EU's 27 countries held a historic meeting with well over a dozen o...
Italian election — Pipeline problems — EU ambassador to US
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the implications of Italy's election last weekend and what its probable next prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, could mean for Europe. Our spe...
UN General Assembly — Russian escalation — EU reaction
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Coming to you from New York City, this bumper edition of EU Confidential brings you the highlights of the U.N. General Assembly and gets reaction from...
State of the European Union — MEPs debate
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Coming to you from Strasbourg, EU Confidential breaks down this week's big EU moment: the State of the Union address delivered by Commission President...
Energy emergency — Canada's EU ambassador — New host Suzanne Lynch
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
New host Suzanne Lynch digs into the EU's plans to address its energy crisis. And Canadian Ambassador to the EU Ailish Campbell explains how Europe is...
POLITICO's EU Confidential trailer
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Europe's #1 politics podcast returns on Thursday, September 8 with our new host, Chief Brussels Correspondent Suzanne Lynch. Every week, POLITICO jo...
Monkeypox in Europe — Big Tech vs. Telecoms battle
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this bumper edition before the summer break, we explain the monkeypox outbreak in Europe and the EU's response. We also preview the biggest lobbyin...
Russian propaganda — Macron in Africa — Cities for women
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We debate what the EU and its leaders can do to counter Russian propaganda, particularly in Africa, about the global food crisis. And we tell the stor...
Heat wave — Energy vs. climate — Crypto spotlight
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We dive into the politics of this week's hot topic — Europe's response to a devastating heat wave and how that impacts current energy troubles. We a...
Summer travel chaos — Combustion engines' end — Wizz Air CEO
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Our POLITICO mobility team takes over this episode — unpacking the issues facing the travel industry this summer and what European policymakers can ...
EU Home Affairs chief Ylva Johansson — Aussie re-set — Interpreters row
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As drama unfolds across the English Channel, we look at where things stand with the EU's migration policy and examine EU-Australian relations. We also...
NATO summit — Swedish, Norwegian and Estonian PMs — G7 flop
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Coming to you from the NATO summit in Madrid, our POLITICO team analyzes a packed week in international diplomacy and what it means for Europe and its...
Ukraine on EU membership path — Balkan backlash — Albanian PM
24 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Coming to you from the EU leaders' summit in the heart of Brussels, we discuss Ukraine's candidacy to join the club and the lack of progress for EU-ho...
Ukraine impact — Panel-speak, decoded — Poets' guide to economics
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We explore more repercussions of the war in Ukraine, explain the latest dust-up between the U.K. and the EU and unpack the patois of political panel d...
Merkel's return — Poland pushback — US NATO ambassador
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We break down the controversy over a plan to unlock billions of euros in EU funds for Poland and debate Angela Merkel's return to the public arena. Ou...
Russian oil ban — Hungarian hold-up — EU 'ghostwriters'
02 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We unpack EU leaders' deal to ban Russian oil imports — with some notable exceptions after Hungary played hardball. And author Tommaso Pavone tells ...
Scholz on Ukraine — COVID update — Food waste solution
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This special edition of EU Confidential from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland drills into the question of whether the EU is really ready...
Death of globalization? — EU expansion — Women in Davos
25 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This bumper edition of Davos Confidential includes a debate on the death of globalization, the prospects of more countries joining the European Union ...
Russian oil sanctions — Stagflation fears — Crypto not dead
24 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We hear exclusively from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the chance of clinching a sixth package of EU sanctions, and from exper...
Zelenskyy chides global elite — Trust troubles — Billionaire bonanza
23 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode comes to you from the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland — featuring participants from business, government and the non-p...
Nordic NATO bids — Commission half-time report — Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We unpack Sweden and Finland's historic bids to join NATO, provide a POLITICO half-time report on the European Commission's performance so far, and he...
Future of Europe — Macron in Berlin — Voices from Ukraine
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We debate some big ideas for the future of Europe and examine the state of Franco-German ties after recently-reelected French President Emmanuel Macro...
EU's Russian oil ban — Steinmeier snub saga — 21st-century disorder
05 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We unpack the EU plan to ban Russian oil and wonder why Germany is so hung up on Ukraine's refusal to let German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier vis...
Macron 2.0 — Brussels vs. Budapest — Climate changes Spanish politics
28 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We take the long view on the success of Emmanuel Macron and the rise of Marine Le Pen, unpack an EU move that could cut funds to Hungary for failing t...
Special edition: Macron beats Le Pen in French presidential election
25 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this special edition, we analyze the result of the French presidential election and its implications for France and for Europe. The show features h...
Macron and Le Pen debate — Germany's Ukraine weapons dilemma
21 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We review the big clash between French presidential contenders Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen. And we unpack Germany's struggle over whether to sen...
French election round 2 – Slovakian PM in Ukraine — EU's Russian energy habit
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We analyze the latest from the French presidential campaign and hear Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger's first-hand account of his visit to Ukrain...
Special edition: French presidential election first round unpacked
11 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this special edition, we unpack the results of the first round of the French presidential election, which saw Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen qua...
French election preview — Orbán's victory — Transparency International Ukraine
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We preview this Sunday's presidential vote in France, discuss the latest Western responses to Russia's war in Ukraine and reflect on Hungarian Prime M...
Brussels after Biden — Hungarian election — World Food Programme boss
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We recap Joe Biden's visit to Brussels for a series of summits focused on the war in Ukraine and get you up to speed on Hungary's election this weeken...
Biden's Brussels summits — Sanctions stalemate — Ukrainian writer Andriy Kurkov
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We dive into the issues at the center of three Brussels summits dominated by Russia's war in Ukraine, as Joe Biden meets with leaders of NATO, the EU ...
China's role in Ukraine — Wartime leaders — Refugee crisis
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week we examine China's role in the Ukraine crisis and unpack the latest EU efforts to bring the war to an end. We also hear how organizations li...
Russia's repression — Ukraine jet confusion — Bulgarian PM Kiril Petkov
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we learn how the war in Ukraine is being reported inside Russia and unpack the confusion over whether Poland will supply fighter jets...
Europe's historic shift on Russia — Inside the war in Ukraine — Turkey's role
03 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this extended episode, we recap and reflect on the week that changed everything, for Europe and the world, after Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukrai...
Russia's war on Ukraine: European reaction and analysis
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode focuses entirely on Russia's war on Ukraine. We have reporting from inside Ukraine, news of the European response and analysis of the glo...
Moscow's mixed messages — Ukraine's Unity Day — Think tanker Heather Conley
17 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We hear from our reporters in Moscow and Kyiv about the continued tensions over Ukraine. Our special guest is Heather Conley, the new president of the...
Scholz and Macron's missions — Le Pen 2.0 — MEP David McAllister
10 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Macron in Moscow, Scholz in Washington: How did the French and German leaders do in their diplomatic missions in the midst of the Ukraine crisis? We a...
Partygate fallout — Estonian PM Kaja Kallas — Cecilia Malmström on EU trade
03 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week, a tale of two (very different) crises: the Partygate scandal threatening Boris Johnson and the continuing tension over Ukraine. We hear fro...
Latvia's war worries — Neutrals for NATO? — Polish MEP Patryk Jaki
27 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We take the temperature in the Baltics amid fears of a Russian attack on Ukraine and unpack how the U.K. is handling the crisis. We also talk to conse...
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola — Macron on EU — Merkel's next gig
20 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Roberta Metsola, the new president of the European Parliament, is our special guest. We also unpack French President Emmanuel Macron's appearance in t...
Omicron tidal wave — Remembering David Sassoli — Russia standoff
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The coronavirus wave engulfing Europe and the West's standoff with Russia over Ukraine both feature in this episode. We also reflect on the legacy of ...
Previewing 2022 — Russian brinkmanship — DOT Europe's Siada El Ramly
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We look at the big stories we expect to shape 2022 and suggest a few New Year’s resolutions for European politicians — and DOT Europe Director Gen...
Key 2021 political moments — Hearing from listeners — Politics of Jesus
16 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The podcast crew, Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig and Cristina Gonzalez, present audio clips that sum up some of the big stories of the ...
Germany's new government — Denglish debate — POLITICO 28
09 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As Angela Merkel bows out after 16 years, we focus this episode on Germany's new government and its chancellor, Olaf Scholz. We also debate the growin...
OMG it's Omicron — China's EU strategy — Amnesty's Agnès Callamard
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week: the Omicron variant and its impact on Europe's coronavirus response, our editor-in-chief on China's approach to Europe and Amnesty Internat...
Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg — New German government — Luuk van Middelaar
25 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg, France's Europe minister Clément Beaune and Dutch political theorist and author Luuk van Middelaar all fe...
COP26 climate drama — Top US foreign policy adviser Derek Chollet
18 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we get the American perspective on European strategic autonomy and other issues facing the EU from Derek Chollet, the top adviser to U.S. S...
4th wave — Whistleblower Frances Haugen — EU border blackmail
11 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss Europe's coronavirus resurgence and the escalating migration crisis at the Polish border. Plus, we hear exclusively from F...
COP26 catch-up — Tech boss John Collison — EU gets (even) funnier
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The COP26 climate talks, a top European tech entrepreneur and a return to the question of whether the EU is funny all feature in this week's episode. ...
COP26 and G20 preview — Glasgow gears up — Lessons for liberalism
28 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We preview two big weekend events: the G20 summit and the start of COP26 climate talks. We also discuss liberalism and its current struggles with Brit...
Hungary's would-be PM — Rule-of-law ripples — German coalition talks
21 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We talk to Péter Márki-Zay, the man chosen by Hungarian opposition parties to take on Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Also in this episode, we have an...
EU energy prices — Curtains for Kurz — Poland courts controversy
14 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On the agenda this week: The EU's plans to tackle soaring energy prices, Sebastian Kurz's resignation as Austrian chancellor and a Polish challenge to...
Macron's US stance — Western Balkans summit — Dark EU lobbying
07 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week: The EU's place in the world — and the Western Balkans' place in the EU. And we dive deep into the murky world EU lobbying. POLITICO's Dav...
Who is Olaf Scholz? — German election aftermath — EU-US trade and tech push
30 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We dive into the aftermath of the German election and take a closer look at Olaf Scholz, the favorite to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor. We also ...