Brussels Playbook Podcast

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 term? Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO’s senior correspondent Karl Mathiesen, who has been reporting on the growing diplomatic friction, and Ivo Daalder — a former U.S. ambassador to NATO under former President Barack Obama. Together they unpack whether this is about ideology, business interests, domestic political signaling — or a broader rethinking of America’s role in Europe. We’d love to hear from you. If you have a story about an undiplomatic ambassador — past or present — send us a message or a voice note on our WhatsApp. You can reach us at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 immediate supply risk and that alternative routes are available. So is this a genuine squeeze — or political leverage ahead of elections in Hungary? And finally: former tech commissioner Thierry Breton, who faces U.S. sanctions over his role in drafting the Digital Services Act, makes his case before the European Parliament. Lawmakers largely rally behind him, framing the dispute as a test of Europe’s digital sovereignty and its complex relationship with Washington. But not everyone agrees — some argue the sanctions were predictable, given Breton’s earlier warnings to U.S. platforms. Plus: a brushing-teeth confession from a Swedish minister. We’d love to hear from you — tell us where and when you listen to the Brussels Playbook Podcast. Send us a note or a voice message on our WhatsApp at: +32 491 05 06 29. **A message from Amazon: Across Europe, businesses are growing with the AWS Cloud to build innovative, scalable products. From Europe’s largest enterprises and government agencies to the continent’s fastest growing startups, learn more about how AWS Cloud is helping businesses across Europe grow at ⁠AWS.eu⁠.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 ways to deal with attempts by Hungary and Slovakia to block a vital EU loan for Ukraine and the next package of sanctions against Russia. You can reach us on our WhatsApp at +32 491 05 06 29. **A message from Amazon: Across Europe, businesses are growing with the AWS Cloud to build innovative, scalable products. From Europe’s largest enterprises and government agencies to the continent’s fastest growing startups, learn more about how AWS Cloud is helping businesses across Europe grow at ⁠AWS.eu⁠.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 over the anniversary. Plus: Aging EU buildings are showing their wear — from water problems at DG COMP to the European Parliament’s costly renovation plans. If you work in a crumbling EU building — or have your own Brussels infrastructure horror story — send us a message or a voice note on WhatsApp: +32 491 05 06 29. **A message from Amazon: Across Europe, businesses are growing with the AWS Cloud to build innovative, scalable products. From Europe’s largest enterprises and government agencies to the continent’s fastest growing startups, learn more about how AWS Cloud is helping businesses across Europe grow at AWS.eu.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 restarting EU membership talks as U.S. President Donald Trump’s Greenland rhetoric and new U.S. tariffs reshape the political calculus in Reykjavík. And finally, fresh transatlantic trade turbulence after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Trump’s global tariff regime — only for the president to announce a new 15 percent rate. Brussels is demanding clarity before moving ahead with its side of the EU-U.S. deal. Plus: a birthday nod at the FAC. You can reach us on our WhatsApp at +32 491 05 06 29. **A message from Amazon: Across Europe, businesses are growing with the AWS Cloud to build innovative, scalable products. From Europe’s largest enterprises and government agencies to the continent’s fastest growing startups, learn more about how AWS Cloud is helping businesses across Europe grow at AWS.eu.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 defense editor Jan Cienski to unpack a debate gaining momentum across Europe: whether the continent needs to rethink its ultimate deterrent as long-held security assumptions begin to shift. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 wants to accelerate trade deals by giving their English versions a head start — allowing political approval to move ahead before all 24 official language translations are finalized, which would trim months off the process. Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by Sarah Wheaton. Please get in touch with your comments and ideas for future topics — you can reach us at our WhatsApp number: +32 491 05 06 29. **A message from Amazon: Across Europe, businesses are growing with the AWS Cloud to build innovative, scalable products. From Europe’s largest enterprises and government agencies to the continent’s fastest growing startups, learn more about how AWS Cloud is helping businesses across Europe grow at AWS.eu.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 agency, as Berlin reassesses how much it can rely on Washington in a more uncertain transatlantic climate. And finally, a new poll suggests about one in five Europeans believe a dictatorship can be preferable in certain cases. Is this democratic decline — or frustration with how democracy works in practice? Plus: the coffee saga continues. After discovering that some Brussels lattes now cost more than €5, we heard from listeners with recommendations for better (and cheaper) spots. Keep them coming — you can reach us on our WhatsApp at +32 491 05 06 29. **A message from Amazon: Across Europe, businesses are growing with the AWS Cloud to build innovative, scalable products. From Europe’s largest enterprises and government agencies to the continent’s fastest growing startups, learn more about how AWS Cloud is helping businesses across Europe grow at AWS.eu.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Brussels and Strasbourg. They also examine how debates over trans rights are gaining visibility in Brussels, and why those arguments are increasingly intertwined with broader transatlantic political dynamics. Plus: Can parts of Brexit be quietly softened for British students and touring musicians? And with latte prices creeping north of €5 in some places, Zoya and Ian want to know: Where’s the best coffee in Brussels? You can reach us at our WhatsApp number, +32 491 05 06 29 — send us your favorites. **A message from Amazon: Across Europe, businesses are growing with the AWS Cloud to build innovative, scalable products. From Europe’s largest enterprises and government agencies to the continent’s fastest growing startups, learn more about how AWS Cloud is helping businesses across Europe grow at ⁠AWS.eu⁠.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, after 613 days without a fully empowered executive, Brussels finally has a new regional government. Host Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by Nick Vinocur, POLITICO’s chief foreign affairs correspondent.As always, we’d love to hear from you. Send us a line or a voice note with your thoughts — or ideas for topics we should cover. You can reach us at our WhatsApp number, +32 491 05 06 29. **A message from Amazon: Across Europe, businesses are growing with the AWS Cloud to build innovative, scalable products. From Europe’s largest enterprises and government agencies to the continent’s fastest growing startups, learn more about how AWS Cloud is helping businesses across Europe grow at AWS.eu.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 summit in Antwerp, joins the discussion on how chemical giants and other industrial players are pressing for relief from climate and energy rules. Marianne Gros examines the backlash over Brussels’ simplification drive and growing concerns about transparency and democratic safeguards. And Carlo Martuscelli breaks down the political fault lines exposed at the Alden Biesen retreat — and why so much of Mario Draghi’s reform agenda remains stalled. Plus, Aitor Hernández-Morales joins us with the latest on political developments in Portugal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 American leadership or even wait for EU institutions.” She argues that “Europe has to be saved from itself” in becoming more agile and not being slowed down by an increasingly powerful bureaucracy. Busch’s Christian Democrats formed a coalition with other right-leaning parties, marking a shift in Sweden’s political landscape and defending conservative values on issues from immigration to energy security. Busch has also emerged onto the wider European stage, but can her forthright brand of politics make a difference in Brussels? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Hungary’s April parliamentary election. And finally: Why are EU leaders so fond of castles?Zoya and Sarah also share listeners’ karaoke picks sent to our WhatsApp number: +32 491 05 06 29 With Valentine’s Day approaching, send us a shoutout to your loved one — or maybe a missed connection.That person you exchanged a glance with in the Berlaymont lift.The policy wonk you queued behind for coffee at Schuman.The brunette who walked into the Commission building before you could say hello.Send us a voice note — we might help Brussels’ most bureaucratic love stories find a happy landing. **A message from Amazon: Across Europe, businesses are growing with the AWS Cloud to build innovative, scalable products. From Europe’s largest enterprises and government agencies to the continent’s fastest growing startups, learn more about how AWS Cloud is helping businesses across Europe grow at AWS.eu.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Summit, where Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever meet industrial heavyweights to talk ideas for boosting Europe’s competitiveness. Plus, De Wever casts himself as a miracle-maker for the Brussels region as long-stalled coalition talks shift into a higher gear. And finally, Ian and Zoya share listeners’ tips on where to go for a drink as Irish pubs disappear from Brussels. Send us your go-to karaoke song for a night out — and sing it for us in a voice note. We might play some in a future episode. Messages can be anonymous. Our WhatsApp number is: +32 491 05 06 29 **A message from Amazon: Across Europe, businesses are growing with the AWS Cloud to build innovative, scalable products. From Europe’s largest enterprises and government agencies to the continent’s fastest growing startups, learn more about how AWS Cloud is helping businesses across Europe grow at AWS.eu.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 uncertainty around the U.S. deepens. Then, competitiveness. Ahead of a closed-door leaders’ retreat later this week, EU capitals are under pressure to revive Europe’s sluggish economy and cut internal barriers that have held growth back for years. Ian and Zoya also ask what the recent closure of Irish pubs Kitty O’Shea’s and De Valera’s — two key Brussels institutions for talking shop over a beer — means for the informal spaces where EU politics has long been done. And we’d love to hear from you — where are people now going instead? Send us your pub tips, memories or voice notes. We may play some of them in a future episode. Messages can be anonymous. Our WhatsApp number is: +32 491 05 06 29 **A message from Amazon: Across Europe, businesses are growing with the AWS Cloud to build innovative, scalable products. From Europe’s largest enterprises and government agencies to the continent’s fastest growing startups, learn more about how AWS Cloud is helping businesses across Europe grow at AWS.eu.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can the European Union really decouple from Donald Trump’s America — economically, politically, and strategically? In this episode of EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton speaks with Mateusz Morawiecki, former Polish prime minister and president of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) party about his call for an “Economic NATO,” an even stronger economic and political alliance between the EU, the U.S. and others as counterbalance to China and Russia. His vision goes against a mainstream trend we’re observing across European capitals as they seek to decouple from Trump’s America. To explain what this EU-U.S. divorce looks like in practice, Sarah is joined by Zoya Sheftalovich, POLITICO’s Chief EU correspondent. Plus, some exciting news, we introduce the Brussels Playbook Podcast, our new daily show launching next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 the 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 Brussels — and explains how they connect to national capitals across Europe. Clear, conversational and shaped by reporting from the heart of the EU, the Brussels Playbook Podcast brings context to EU politics as your day begins. On Fridays, the same feed features a longer episode that goes deeper into the week’s biggest themes, offering context and analysis beyond the daily news cycle — with Sarah Wheaton behind the mic.  **A message from Amazon: Across Europe, businesses are growing with the AWS Cloud to build innovative, scalable products. From Europe’s largest enterprises and government agencies to the continent’s fastest growing startups, learn more about how AWS Cloud is helping businesses across Europe grow at AWS.eu.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Europe is testing how far it’s willing to go — at home and abroad. In this episode of EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton talks to Jonathan Haidt, author of the best-selling "The Anxious Generation." His research is inspiring social media bans for kids in countries including France and Australia, even as tech companies and some researchers strongly contest his conclusions. Alongside him is MEP Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová and POLITICO tech reporter Eliza Gkritsi, who is reporting on EU deliberations on protecting teens' mental health. Later, Sarah is joined by POLITICO’s Nick Vinocur and trade reporter Camille Gijs, who was on the ground in New Delhi for the signing of the EU–India trade and defense agreement — dubbed by Ursula von der Leyen the “mother of all deals.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What a week! Tariff threats, Greenland brinkmanship and a dramatic Trump U-turn in Davos: EU leaders gathered in Brussels for an emergency summit meant to pick up the pieces of the shattered transatlantic relationship and figure out what to do next. In this episode of EU Confidential, we’re on the ground, right next to the European Council meeting as it unfolds. Unpacking how Europe can move forward after Trump escalated fast, reversed course even faster — and still left allies rattled. What did the EU learn? Did standing up work? And is Brussels finally rewriting its playbook for dealing with Washington? Joining host Sarah Wheaton are POLITICO’s own Zoya Sheftalovich, Nick Vinocur and Tim Ross to break it all down. We also dig into other issues looming over the summit: Trump’s Gaza “Board of Peace,” which has split European capitals; the sudden derailment of the Mercosur trade deal; and Ukraine’s abandoned hopes for a security deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump loomed large over the World Economic Forum’s annual get-together in the Swiss Alps — even before he touched down for his big speech.  In this special episode from Davos, host Anne McElvoy talks to influential European and North American voices about President Trump’s intention to take over Greenland and the consequences for Europe and NATO. Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen tells Anne that America must decide if it’s on the “side of the predator,” like Russia and China, or the "side of freedom." Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs, meanwhile, insists “that Greenland remain part of Denmark.” She also talks to Anita Anand, Canada’s foreign minister, and influential Harvard economist and the former chief economist of the IMF, Ken Rogoff, who delivers a stark prediction for 2026. Then came the final twist in the tale, when President Trump announced that he was dropping tariffs on the eight European countries who opposed his Greenland plans - after reaching a "framework deal". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices