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PODCAST

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. It’s a perfect companion for your morning coffee. Each episode takes listeners inside the decisions, power shifts and debates shaping the day in

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All Episodes

28:55

How Europe survives when there are no rules

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/03/06

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 Council on Foreign Relations and author of the forthcoming book “Surviving Chaos: Geopolitics When the Rules

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16:00

Iran war: Europe weighs migration risk

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/03/05

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 counterparts about the escalating conflict, while home affairs ministers discuss deportations policy and how Europe

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13:42

The making of 'Made in Europe'

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/03/04

“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 protectionism, and whether Brussels is turning inward at a fragile moment for global trade. Meanwhile,

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15:39

Caught between wars

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/03/03

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 for Europe, and the ripple effects for Ukraine — from enlargement to defense. And finally — is

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16:00

Europe's balancing act on Iran

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/03/02

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 unpack the EU’s balancing act: condemning Iran’s retaliation, avoiding direct criticism of Washington and

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28:51

Diplomats or disruptors — when Trump’s ambassadors...

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/02/27

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 something deeper — a shift in how Washington wants to engage with Europe in Donald Trump’s second

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15:15

Inside EU ambassadors' crisis 'bunker'

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/02/26

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 warnings over disruptions to Russian oil flows through the Ukrainian Druzhba pipeline, says there is no

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14:30

Who showed up — and who didn't — for Kyiv's big day

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/02/25

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 describe the mood in the city, what was said behind closed doors, and how European leaders are discussing

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15:19

Four years of war — and Hungary breaks EU unity

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/02/24

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 Leyen and António Costa, as she describes the mood around the trip — and how Hungary’s veto cast a shadow

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15:43

Sanctions, tensions — and a birthday at the FAC

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/02/23

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 stake at the Foreign Affairs Council. Then we head north to Iceland, which could fast-track a referendum on

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35:49

The EU’s envoy to Ukraine on war, resilience — and...

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/02/20

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 anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion approaches. Later, Sarah is joined by POLITICO’s

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16:21

Testing Trump’s Board of Peace

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/02/19

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 abortion access — a move that could reopen one of Europe’s most sensitive debates. Finally, the Commission

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15:16

The EU’s plan to revive its frontline regions

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/02/18

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 economies. They also look at Germany’s move to expand the powers and budget of its foreign intelligence

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15:21

Power play in European Parliament

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/02/17

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 unpack the maneuvering — and what it means for Roberta Metsola, the far right and the balance of power in

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15:54

Europe edges toward a multi-speed future

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/02/16

At this year's Munich Security Conference, the U.S. struck a softer tone — but Europe remains wary. Back in Brussels, as finance ministers gather for a Eurogroup meeting, a new informal format — the so-called E6 — is drawing attention. Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Poland — Europe’s biggest economies — are coordinating more closely. This is reigniting questions about whether the EU is drifting toward a multi-speed future and not everyone is comfortable with it. Meanwhile,

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41:11

Omnibusted: The EU’s competitiveness conundrum

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/02/13

European leaders have spent the week talking about how to make the EU more competitive — first with industry heavyweights in Antwerp, then behind closed doors at a leaders’ retreat in Belgium.On this episode of EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton digs into what’s really behind the latest push to revive Europe’s economy. Are calls for deregulation and lower energy costs a genuine course correction — or another round of diagnosis without delivery? POLITICO’s Zia Weise, fresh from the industry

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30:38

BONUS: "Europe has to be saved from itself" -...

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/02/12

European leaders and defense ministers gathering at the Munich Security Conference are grappling with how to end the war in Ukraine as it approaches its fourth anniversary. But do they have any influence on how and when it might end — and on whose terms?In this bonus episode of EU Confidential, host Anne McElvoy talks to Ebba Busch, Sweden’s deputy prime minister and energy minister, who is calling for a more robust stance against Russia and insists that “Europe must now lead itself, not wait for

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15:45

The battle of Alden Biesen

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/02/12

EU leaders gather at Alden Biesen castle to debate how to revive Europe’s economy — and whether “strategic autonomy” can survive internal divisions. POLITICO's Chief EU Correspondent Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by policy editor Sarah Wheaton to unpack the competitiveness retreat.Plus: The Hungary funds case nears a turning point in Luxembourg, as the Court of Justice of the European Union issues a key opinion in the Parliament’s lawsuit against the Commission — with political stakes ahead of

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15:39

EU talks funding Kyiv and how to boost industry

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/02/11

It’s another day of high-level talks across Belgium.First, the EU’s defense ministers meet in Brussels. Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart dive into the Foreign Affairs Council hosted by the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas — with Ukraine’s new defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, also at the table. On the agenda: signing off on eight national plans under the EU’s flagship defense program, SAFE, and discussions around the €90 billion loan for Ukraine. Then we head to Antwerp for the European Industry

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15:11

Episode 1: The plan to get Ukraine into the EU

Brussels Playbook Podcast ·

2026/02/10

Welcome to the first edition of the Brussels Playbook Podcast! In the debut episode, Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart break down two big questions facing Brussels: How far is the EU willing to go to bring Ukraine into its fold? And can Europe finally get serious about fixing its economy? First, Ukraine and enlargement. EU officials are quietly exploring unconventional options to move Kyiv closer to the bloc — potentially as early as next year — as talk of a possible peace deal grows and

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