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PODCAST

EU Confidential

EU Confidential is a weekly European news and politics podcast published every Friday by POLITICO Europe. Each 30-minute episode features POLITICO’s analysis of the top stories driving EU politics, as well as notable guests shaping European policy and deep-dive stories from around the Continent. It’s hosted by Sarah Wheaton, POLITICO’s chief policy correspondent, who is joined by reporters from around Europe. Discover our show notes for EU Confidential here:

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All Episodes

39:57

Leo Varadkar on Donald Trump, and the EU’s Israel...

EU Confidential ·

2025/05/23

The EU-Israel relationship is at a tipping point. This week on EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton breaks down how EU leaders are calling for scrutiny of a long-standing trade agreement between Brussels and Israel, as Gaza faces famine amid an ongoing Israeli military offensive. Rym Momtaz, editor-in-chief of the Strategic Europe blog at Carnegie Europe and an expert on European and Middle Eastern politics, joins to explain what’s driving the shift — and whether it could lead to real

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30:32

The crown slips: How queen...

EU Confidential ·

2025/05/16

Those text messages Ursula von der Leyen didn’t want to share? The EU’s top court says that’s not OK.In a win for transparency advocates, Europe’s judges have ruled that the European Commission was wrong to hold back von der Leyen’s text exchanges with Pfizer’s CEO during vaccine contract negotiations. POLITICO health reporter Mari Eccles joins host Sarah Wheaton to unpack what the ruling means for Brussels, for von der Leyen’s leadership style, and for how the EU handles power behind the

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31:53

Populist currents and fragile coalitions: Trump’s...

EU Confidential ·

2025/05/09

Europe’s political center is wobbling. Again.In Germany, a dramatic Bundestag vote leaves new Chancellor Friedrich Merz bruised before he’s even begun. In Romania, the first round of the presidential election wipes out the mainstream — and puts a Trump-admiring provocateur on top. EU Confidential breaks down a week of shaken coalitions, rising populists, and what they all say about the shifting balance of power in Europe.Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Politico’s Nette Nöstlinger in Berlin, our

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39:15

How Trump transformed Europe in just 100 days

EU Confidential ·

2025/05/02

After 100 days of U.S. President Donald Trump’s shock and awe, is the EU still stuck in stunned paralysis — or does it finally have a plan? POLITICO trade reporter Camille Gijs, tech reporter Eliza Gkritsi, defense editor Jan Cienski and senior climate correspondent Karl Mathiesen join host Sarah Wheaton to unpack the EU’s response on multiple fronts. Plus, Max Griera and Aitor Hernández-Morales break down the controversy around the European People’s Party congress in Valencia — and the strange

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44:21

A divorce and a birthday: Five years of Brexit, 10...

EU Confidential ·

2025/04/25

With POLITICO turning 10 and Brexit hitting 5 earlier this year, this episode of EU Confidential takes stock of two milestones that shaped Brussels — in very different ways.Host Sarah Wheaton kicks things off with Zoya Sheftalovich, editor of Global Playbook, reflecting on POLITICO Europe’s early days and its first big scoop: Jean-Claude Juncker’s kidney stones. Then we head to Maastricht for highlights from a debate organized by Studio Europa Maastricht, where Sarah moderated a conversation on

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31:33

Holiday special: Driving toward a trade war with China

EU Confidential ·

2025/04/18

This week, EU Confidential is on a spring break — but with trade tensions between the U.S. and the rest of the world (China in particular) escalating, we thought it was the perfect moment to revisit a timely episode from our archives.As Trump’s new trade war heats up, with triple-digit tariffs hitting Chinese goods and Beijing retaliating, the global trade landscape is shifting dramatically. These developments have significant implications for Europe, especially as the EU navigates its own

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30:25

Trump blinks on tariffs. Can Europe exhale?

EU Confidential ·

2025/04/11

A tariff storm was brewing — and then, just like that, the forecast changed. Donald Trump shocked everyone by pausing his planned tariffs for 90 days (for all countries except China), throwing global markets a lifeline and leaving the EU wondering what game he’s playing.In this episode of EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton unpacks the fallout from Trump’s trade U-turn with Josh Lipsky, senior director at the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center, and Doug Busvine, POLITICO’s editor for

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42:52

Beautiful beef: Le Pen, Varoufakis and the horseshoe...

EU Confidential ·

2025/04/04

What do Marine Le Pen, Yanis Varoufakis and Donald Trump have in common? More than you'd think.In this episode of EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton breaks down the court decision that could end Le Pen's political career as well as the fallout for France's far right. With POLITICO’s Clea Caulcutt giving us the latest from Paris, Yanis Varoufakis — the former Greek finance minister and leader of left-wing party Mera25 — joins to discuss his controversial defense of Le Pen, and why he believes

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36:58

Erdoğan, not Trump, is Europe's new best friend on...

EU Confidential ·

2025/03/28

Ekrem İmamoğlu, Istanbul’s mayor and the main political rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has been arrested. So what is Europe doing about it? Staying pretty quiet, it seems. Mass protests are breaking out across Turkey but Brussels is keeping its counsel.In this episode Sarah Wheaton speaks with Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former journalist in Turkey, about what’s really driving Erdoğan’s shift toward authoritarianism and how Europe is

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33:11

Dirty games in Brussels and war games in Europe

EU Confidential ·

2025/03/21

A lobbying frenzy, secret perks, and now police raids. Huawei’s cozy ties in Brussels have exploded into a full-blown corruption scandal.As the European Parliament tries to rehabilitate its image post Qatargate, lawmakers are once again at the center of allegations. With offices sealed and arrests made, there are serious questions about how deep Beijing’s influence really runs. Host Sarah Wheaton breaks it all down with POLITICO's cybersecurity and intelligence reporter, Antoaneta Roussi, and

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39:04

Can EU leaders handle a world on fire?

EU Confidential ·

2025/03/14

100 days in, Europe’s top leaders are facing a reality check. Ursula von der Leyen talks about a new sense of urgency — but is she leading, or just firefighting? António Costa wants to unify the bloc — but can he keep Europe together on defense? Kaja Kallas vowed to sharpen EU foreign policy — but after a snub in Washington, is anyone listening? With transatlantic ties fraying, host Sarah Wheaton sits down with Brussels top policy minds to assess whether Europe’s leadership is fit for purpose — or

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39:55

The US-EU breakup—what does it mean for Ukraine, and...

EU Confidential ·

2025/03/07

This week’s episode of EU Confidential comes to you from Thursday’s emergency meeting of EU leaders — the political equivalent of sobbing into your pillow on a sleepless night. The reason for those tears: America and Europe just broke up. POLITICO’s Clea Caulcutt gives us a quick update on European Council talks on how to bolster defense spending and further support Ukraine. We then step back for a more nuanced discussion: What does “peace” even mean, really, and how might Ukraine and Russia

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41:06

Can Germany’s next chancellor help Europe deal with...

EU Confidential ·

2025/02/28

Germany has voted, and Friedrich Merz is now the chancellor-in-waiting. But can he rise to the occasion? With Donald Trump signaling a retreat from Europe and cozying up to Vladimir Putin, the continent faces its biggest security challenge in decades. Will Merz shake off Germany’s long-standing hesitation and step up?Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by James Angelos, POLITICO’s news editor in Berlin; Jana Puglierin, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations; and Nick Vinocur,

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38:56

Germany votes, Trump attacks, Europe reacts

EU Confidential ·

2025/02/21

Europe suddenly has to do it all — all alone, all at once.Still in shock after U.S. President Donald Trump’s unequivocal pivot toward Moscow, European leaders are grappling with the real possibility that they won’t be able to count on NATO — and the reality that the EU might not offer much of an alternative format. That said, companies and capitals are looking to Brussels for a way to prop up struggling industries while not abandoning climate goals. And German voters will decide on Sunday whether

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39:29

Europe’s future, brought to you by Putin and Trump

EU Confidential ·

2025/02/14

You’ve gotta hand it to Donald Trump — even when you’re expecting him to surprise you, he still surprises you. The Unites States president once again caught Europe off guard with his plan to start Ukraine peace talks — after a call with Vladimir Putin. As the post-World War II order veers toward collapse, how many more surprises will it take before European leaders actually do something? POLITICO’s Veronika Melkozerova, Clea Caulcutt and Koen Verhelst join EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton to

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31:25

How political is your pizza? The Mediterranean Diet...

EU Confidential ·

2025/02/07

Pasta, pizza, and Parmigiano — delicious? Absolutely. But in 2025, they’re also deeply political.This week on EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton digs into how food has become a battleground, with POLITICO agriculture reporter Alessandro Ford explaining how Italy’s far-right — and politicians across Europe — are using the Mediterranean diet to push back against Brussels. From Nutri-Score to climate policies, we unpack the rise of gastro-nationalism and how a diet once rooted in simplicity is now

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34:32

Your guide to Trump’s Europe envoys

EU Confidential ·

2025/01/31

Diplomatic credentials? Optional. Deep pockets and loyalty to Trump? Essential.As Donald Trump rolls out his picks for U.S. ambassador posts in Europe — think fast-food executives, Broadway producers, billionaire donors and family insiders — one thing is clear: this isn’t traditional statecraft. Take Andrew Puzder, the former fast-food CEO and future U.S. ambassador to the EU (pending Senate confirmation). Like many of Trump’s nominees, he has no diplomatic experience but only strong political and

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41:55

In Trump's new era: does Europe still matter?

EU Confidential ·

2025/01/24

As Donald Trump settles back into the White House, all eyes—even in snowy Davos—are on Washington. Host Sarah Wheaton reports from the World Economic Forum, joined by Josh Lipsky, Senior Director at the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center, and MEP Eva Maydell, to discuss Europe’s weakening relevance amid tariff threats, tech battles, and shifting power dynamics.Plus, a special Davos update from our sister podcast Power Play— host Anne McElvoy shares a secret fondue tip and reflects on the Davos

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31:04

Who’s in charge? What von der...

EU Confidential ·

2025/01/17

While the president of the European Commission was secretly in the hospital, the next president of the United States was musing about invading Greenland. Ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration, EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton was joined by POLITICO editor-at-large Nicholas Vinocur, defense reporter Laura Kayali and trade reporter Koen Verhelst to analyze why Europe seems to be paralyzed in the face of looming trade wars, Arctic gamesmanship and the rise of populists in countries around the

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33:56

Elon Musk: Europe’s Bloviator-in-Chief

EU Confidential ·

2025/01/10

The world’s richest man has a lot to say, a vast platform, and the ear of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Now he has turned his focus to Europe. As Elon Musk weighs in on European politics, often supporting extreme candidates and promoting conspiracies, Brussels tech regs appear no match for the algorithmic onslaught. For former MEP Marietje Schaake, now International Policy Director at Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center, it’s just a small part of Europe’s subordination to Silicon Valley,

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263 results

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