The Eurofile

Max and Otto discuss Andy Burnham’s push to improve UK relations with the EU, the new deal signed by the U.S., Denmark and Greenland, and warnings of escalating Russian hybrid attacks in Europe. Then, Max is joined by Jeremy Cliffe, editorial director and senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, to make sense of the current political situation in Germany – AfD victories in regional elections, the strain on mainstream parties and Merz’s leadership crisis.  Feedback? Suggestions? Ideas to help us improve? Email us at [email protected].  If you love The Eurofile, let us know by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts.    Check out our sister podcast, Russian Roulette. 

Max is joined by Lexi Linafelter to discuss key takeaways from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union address (September 16, 2026). Then he turns to a conversation with Emily Benson for an update on the state of transatlantic technology relations — exploring Europe's AI ambitions, digital sovereignty concerns, regulatory friction with U.S. tech giants, and more.  Guest:   Emily Benson | head of strategy, Minerva Technology Futures; senior associate (non-resident), Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program, CSIS  Feedback? Suggestions? Ideas to help us improve? Email us at [email protected].    If you love The Eurofile, let us know by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts.     Check out our sister podcast, Russian Roulette.   

Max sits down with Otto Svendsen, associate fellow with the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia program, to discuss the week's biggest transatlantic stories: Iceland's vote on reopening EU accession talks, the fallout from Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby's visit to NATO headquarters (including a reported loyalty questionnaire for allies), and European reactions to CIA Director John Ratcliffe's surprise trip to Moscow. Plus, a conversation with Henry Foy, Brussels Bureau Chief at the Financial Times, to map out the EU's packed fall agenda. Mentioned: Europe Express | Newsletter by Henry Foy, Financial Times Feedback? Suggestions? Ideas to help us improve? Email us at [email protected]. If you love The Eurofile, let us know by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts. Check out our sister podcast, Russian Roulette.

As European summer winds down, The Eurofile is back with a packed agenda. Max sits down with Mujtaba Rahman, Managing Director for Europe at the Eurasia Group, to discuss shifting dynamics in France’s far-right, with Marine Le Pen poised to return to the presidential ballot. They discuss the UK's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who’s kicked off an ambitious domestic agenda amid a tricky foreign policy landscape, and what’s on the EU’s fall agenda. Mentioned: How France Falls to the Far Right: The Growing Odds and Seismic Consequences of a Le Pen–Bardella Victory  by Mujtaba Rahman, Foreign Affairs  Feedback? Suggestions? Ideas to help us improve? Email us at [email protected]. If you love The Eurofile, let us know by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts. Check out our sister podcast, Russian Roulette.

Max sits down with Sander Tordoir, Chief Economist at the Centre for European Reform and Senior Associate (Non-resident) with the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program to discuss his latest report: China shock 2.0: The cost of Germany's complacency – which argues that surging Chinese exports are hurting Germany's auto and machinery sectors and threatening Europe's economic model. They dig into whether Brussels has the tools and political will to push back on Beijing, and how one October deadline could force the bloc to confront these issues head-on. Mentioned: China Shock 2.0: The Cost of Germany's Complacency by Sander Tordoir and Brad Setser Feedback? Suggestions? Ideas to help us improve? Email us at [email protected]. If you love The Eurofile, let us know by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts. Check out our sister podcast, Russian Roulette.