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Hosted by Max Bergmann, director of the Stuart Center and the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program, and Donatienne Ruy, director of the Abshire-Inamori Leadership Academy at CSIS, “The Eurofile” looks at Europe through a Washington lens. We will discuss, debate, and dissect the big issues consuming Europe with some of the leading voices from the transatlantic community. We’ll try to make sense of developments in Brussels, break down European elections, and discuss all the issues roiling transatlantic relations. So join us for “The Eurofile” every other Thursday, wherever you get your podcasts.
96 Episodes
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Max and Donatienne discuss the fallout from the Iran war and this week’s Hungarian election. Then, Max is joined by Federico Steinberg, Prince of Asturias distinguished visiting professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and visiting fellow at CSIS, on the war's economic costs for Europe.
(00:00) Intro
(00:45) Iran war fallout
(14:43) Hungary election
(22:38) Federico Steinberg
Learn more:
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Europe Needs Bold Economic Action in the Face of the Iran Shock
What Is at Stake in Hungary’s Election?
Max and Donatienne are joined by Zselyke Csaky, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, to preview the Hungarian election on April 12.
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
What Is at Stake in Hungary’s Election?
Max and Donatienne are joined by Teresa Ribera—Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition—for a conversation on the EU's economic and climate agenda.
Questions about the EU, NATO, or the latest news in Europe through a Washington lens? We want to hear from you!
Email: erep@csis.org
X: @csiserep
Bluesky: @erep.csis.org
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Max and Donatienne discuss recent elections in Slovenia and Denmark, a referendum on judicial reforms in Italy, and Mark Rutte’s recent statements on the war in Iran. Then, they turn to a conversation with Nathalie Tocci, Director of the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), for a conversation on Europe’s place in the world.
(00:00) Intro
(00:50) Slovenia election
(04:40) Denmark election
(10:20) Italy judicial reform referendum
(15:58) Mark Rutte’s Sunday show appearances
(22:03) Nathalie Tocci
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Europe Needs an ASAP Program for Air Defense
Max is joined by Hanno Pevkur, Minister of Defense of the Republic of Estonia, for a discussion about Estonia’s role in European security.
(00:00) Intro
(01:40) The war in Iran
(04:32) Impact of rising energy prices for Russia
(06:49) Impact of Iran war on air defense interceptor stockpiles
(10:39) Outlook for Ukraine’s military
(14:31) State of the transatlantic alliance
(18:39) European support for Ukraine
(22:10) Ukrainian deep strikes in Russia
(24:22) Concerns over Russia’s military adaptation
(27:15) European contributions to NATO
(31:21) European views on Russian threat
(34:25) European Union’s role in defense procurement
(39:30) U.S. burden-shifting agenda for European defense
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Max and Donatienne discuss the internal power struggle between Ursula von der Leyen and EU member states over who should speak for Europe on foreign policy. They then turn to a conversation with Mona Yacoubian, director and senior adviser of the Middle East Program at CSIS, to discuss the Iran war and Europe’s role in it.
(00:00) Intro
(01:05) Von der Leyen’s foreign policy power struggle
(19:07) Mona Yacoubian
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Would Regime Change Solve the Iran Challenge?
The Regional Reverberations of the U.S. and Israeli Strikes on Iran
Max and Donatienne discuss the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and a new Dutch government. They then turn to a conversation with Jude Blanchette, Distinguished Tang Chair in China Research and Director of the RAND China Research Center, to discuss the state of play in Europe’s China policy.
(00:00) Intro
(00:45) Russia-Ukraine war
(09:11) New Dutch government
(14:39) Jude Blanchette
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Russia-Ukraine War in 10 Charts
Max and Donatienne preview this week’s Munich Security Forum before turning to Max's conversation with Marcus Roberts, CEO of Mandate, to discuss European polling trends and what they portend for the year ahead.
(00:00) Intro
(01:03) MSC Preview
(14:24) Marcus Roberts
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Max and Donatienne discuss last week's World Economic Forum in Davos, which was dominated by President Trump's tariff threats over Greenland. They then turn to a conversation with Rick Rossow, senior adviser and Chair in India and Emerging Asia Economics at CSIS, about the newly announced EU-India free trade agreement.
(00:00) Intro
(00:51) Davos recap
(20:22) Rick Rossow
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Max and Donatienne discuss recent comments by EU defense commissioner Andrius Kubilius about the creation of a European standing army. Then, they turn to a conversation with Michael Kofman, senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, about Europe’s role in the war in Ukraine.
(00:00) Intro
(00:49) European standing army
(09:45) Greenland
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Max and Donatienne discuss last month’s European Council meeting, where leaders failed to agree on the MERCOSUR trade deal but secured continued funding to Ukraine; the mounting US-EU tech fight after the EU fined X for breaching digital safety rules; and the Trump administration’s increasing pressure on Greenland.
(00:00) Intro
(01:18) December EUCO Review
(14:11) US-EU Tech Fight
(20:37) Greenland
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Max and Donatienne discuss recent comments by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declaring the end of ‘Pax Americana’. Then, they preview a high-stakes European Council meeting, where leaders will discuss the Mercosur trade deal and the European Commission’s proposal to leverage frozen Russian assets to provide a crucial loan to Ukraine. Finally, they turn to a conversation with Dr. Thu Nguyen, Acting Co-Director of the Jacques Delors Centre, to discuss the state of democracy in the EU.
(00:00) Intro
(02:05) Friedrich Merz ‘Pax Americana’ Speech
(05:19) Frozen Russian Assets Loan
(13:13) Mercosur Trade Deal
(19:00) Interview with Thu Nguyen
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Max Bergmann sits down with Abraham Newman and Kristine Berzina for a rapid-reaction conversation about the newly released U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS), its implications for the European security landscape, and the key clash at the forefront of transatlantic tech relations. The live video episode was recorded on Monday, December 9, 2025.
Abraham Newman is the director of the BMW Center for German and European Studies and John Powers Chair in International Business Diplomacy at Georgetown University. Kristine Berzina is a senior fellow for U.S. Defense and Transatlantic Security at the German Marshall Fund in Washington DC.
Watch the live event on demand here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFS5L81uzfA
Reach out to our team with any questions affecting Europe, or to share feedback on the show. We want to hear from you!
Email: erep@csis.org
X: @csiserep
Bluesky: @erep.csis.org
Max and Donatienne discuss the latest peace negotiations to secure an end to the war in Ukraine. They also cover ongoing talks about implementation of the US–EU trade deal, after US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with their EU counterparts in Brussels. Then, they turn to a conversation with Cecilia Malmström, former EU Commissioner for Trade and Home Affairs, to discuss the European Union’s trade agenda.
(00:00) Intro
(00:56) Ukraine Peace Negotiations
(11:50) Lutnick and Greer in Brussels
(18:50) Interview with Cecilia Malmström
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Max speaks with Michael Kimmage about his immediate reactions to the new 28-point peace plan for Ukraine, and the rapid-fire diplomacy taking place in response to its release.
This conversation was recorded on November 24, 2025.
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Max and Donatienne discuss a recent vote in the European Parliament where the center-right European People’s Party voted with the far right to approve cuts to EU green rules. Then, they turn to a conversation with Federico Steinberg and Nicolas Véron about the euro and Europe's economic future.
(00:00) Intro
(00:42) European Parliament vote on EU green rules
(17:10) Interview with Federico Steinberg and Nicolas Véron
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Is a New Era Emerging for the Euro? | The Eurofile
Max Bergmann is joined by Federico Steinberg and Nicolas Véron for a conversation about Europe's economic future. The discussion covers the Euro’s evolving international role, the rise of stable coins and the digital Euro, and how Europe can chart a fiscally sustainable future.
Federico Steinberg is a visiting fellow with the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program, Prince of Asturias distinguished visiting professor at Georgetown University, and senior analyst at the Elcano Royal Institute. Nicolas Véron is senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
On the latest episode of The Eurofile, Max and Donatienne discuss the recent Dutch elections, where centrist-liberal party, D66, narrowly secured victory over the far-right Party for Freedom, while EU "big wig," Frans Timmermans, and his GreenLeft-Labor ticket suffered a disappointing defeat. Then, they turn to a conversation with Zsolt Darvas, Senior Fellow at Bruegel, to discuss whether the EU’s long-term budget, also known as the Multiannual Financial Framework, is fit for purpose.
Max and Donatienne discuss the ongoing negotiations over the EU’s next long-term budget and a recent call from the German government to establish a common European stock market. Then, they turn to a conversation with Jeremy Shapiro, Research Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, to discuss how European leaders have approached Trump. Have they avoided the worst-case scenario or is appeasement backfiring already?
(00:00) Intro
(00:52) EU Budget Fight
(11:40) Berlin Calls for European Stock Market
(17:11) Interview with Jeremy Shapiro
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Max and Donatienne discuss the recent Czech parliamentary election in which billionaire businessman and former prime minister Andrej Babis and his ANO party roared to a victory (01:00). They also cover last week’s informal European Council summit in Copenhagen, where leaders met to discuss how to bolster the continent’s security (07:33). Finally, they turn to a conversation with Ben McWilliams, affiliate fellow in the field of energy and climate policy with Bruegel, to discuss the European Union’s energy and climate agenda (15:47).
Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
How Europe Can Defend Itself with Less America
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