Brussels Playbook Podcast

We unpack Sweden and Finland's historic bids to join NATO, provide a POLITICO half-time report on the European Commission's performance so far, and hear from Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly on relations with the EU and more. POLITICO's Andrew Gray is joined by Correspondent Charlie Duxbury in Stockholm, Senior NATO Reporter Lili Bayer and Chief Europe Correspondent Matthew Karnit...

We debate some big ideas for the future of Europe and examine the state of Franco-German ties after recently-reelected French President Emmanuel Macron's trip to Berlin. We also hear from Ukrainian officials and the EU's ambassador in Kyiv. [2:54] POLITICO's Andrew Gray tries to sum up the results of the Conference on the Future of Europe, a year-long series of debates and discussions that culmina...

We unpack the EU plan to ban Russian oil and wonder why Germany is so hung up on Ukraine's refusal to let German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visit Kyiv. Our special guest is Cambridge Professor Helen Thompson, who explores the relationship between energy and politics. [2:10] POLITICO's Politics Editor Andrew Gray is joined by Senior Trade Correspondent Barbara Moens to discuss the European C...

We take the long view on the success of Emmanuel Macron and the rise of Marine Le Pen, unpack an EU move that could cut funds to Hungary for failing to uphold the rule of law and dive into the impact of climate change on Spanish politics. [1:43] POLITICO's Nicholas Vinocur, a longtime follower of French politics, joins Andrew Gray to give his take on Macron's victory in France's presidential elect...

In this special edition, we analyze the result of the French presidential election and its implications for France and for Europe. The show features highlights from an election-night discussion with members of our French election crew, broadcast live on Twitter and hosted by POLITICO's Andrew Gray. Politics Reporter Clea Calcutt gives us the big picture, Elisa Braün reports from Emmanuel Macron's...

We review the big clash between French presidential contenders Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen. And we unpack Germany's struggle over whether to send heavy weapons to Ukraine with military expert and think tanker Gustav Gressel. POLITICO's Andrew Gray is joined by Clea Caulcutt in Paris to analyze Wednesday night's live TV debate between Macron, the centrist incumbent, and far-right challenger L...

We analyze the latest from the French presidential campaign and hear Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger's first-hand account of his visit to Ukraine. We also delve into the problems Europe faces in weaning itself off Russian energy. POLITICO’s Andrew Gray, Matthew Karnitschnig and Maïa de La Baume unpack the strategies of Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen as the gloves come off in round two of...

In this special edition, we unpack the results of the first round of the French presidential election, which saw Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen qualify for a run-off vote on April 24. The show features highlights from an election-night discussion with members of POLITICO's French election crew, broadcast live on Twitter. French Politics Reporter Clea Calcutt explains how the result represents a...

We preview this Sunday's presidential vote in France, discuss the latest Western responses to Russia's war in Ukraine and reflect on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's reelection. Our special guest is Transparency International Ukraine's Kateryna Ryzhenko. POLITICO's Elisa Braun in Paris joins Andrew Gray to set up the first round of the French presidential election. She explains the mood in...

We recap Joe Biden's visit to Brussels for a series of summits focused on the war in Ukraine and get you up to speed on Hungary's election this weekend. World Food Programme boss David Beasley joins us to talk about the global food crisis. POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Matthew Karnitschnig and Lili Bayer take stock of last week's meetings of G7, NATO and European Union leaders, all attended by the U.S....

We dive into the issues at the center of three Brussels summits dominated by Russia's war in Ukraine, as Joe Biden meets with leaders of NATO, the EU and the G7. Our special guest is Ukrainian novelist and thinker Andriy Kurkov. POLITICO's Andrew Gray is joined by colleagues Matthew Karnitschnig in Berlin and Barbara Moens in Brussels to discuss some of the big questions facing leaders at the summ...

This week we examine China's role in the Ukraine crisis and unpack the latest EU efforts to bring the war to an end. We also hear how organizations like the UN Refugee Agency are supporting Ukrainian refugees. POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton brings us up to speed on the latest news from Europe, including another round of EU sanctions and a visit to Kyiv by the prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the...

In this episode, we learn how the war in Ukraine is being reported inside Russia and unpack the confusion over whether Poland will supply fighter jets to the Ukrainian government. You'll also hear from Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and Latvian PM Krišjānis Kariņš. Reflecting on another tumultuous week, POLITICO's Andrew Gray is joined by Moscow correspondent Eva Hartog, who recounts how Ru...

In this extended episode, we recap and reflect on the week that changed everything, for Europe and the world, after Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. We also hear from scholar Dimitar Bechev on Turkey's potential role in this crisis. We begin with a review of the unprecedented flurry of dramatic measures taken by Europe in the past few days in response to Putin's war. Then POLITICO's Andrew Gr...

This episode focuses entirely on Russia's war on Ukraine. We have reporting from inside Ukraine, news of the European response and analysis of the global repercussions. POLITICO's Andrew Gray hears from colleagues David M. Herszenhorn in Ukraine, Matthew Karnitschnig in Berlin and Lili Bayer in Brussels in a conversation broadcast live on Twitter hours after Vladimir Putin launched his massive mil...

We hear from our reporters in Moscow and Kyiv about the continued tensions over Ukraine. Our special guest is Heather Conley, the new president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, on transatlantic ties and relations with Russia. POLITICO's Andrew Gray in Brussels and Matthew Karnitschnig in Berlin are joined by Eva Hartog in Moscow, who explains how Vladimir Putin's domestic messagin...

Macron in Moscow, Scholz in Washington: How did the French and German leaders do in their diplomatic missions in the midst of the Ukraine crisis? We also get the European Parliament's perspective on the crisis from David McAllister, chair of the foreign affairs committee. POLITICO's Andrew Gray and Matthew Karnitschnig unpack Chancellor Olaf Scholz's trip to Washington and debate whether he did en...

This week, a tale of two (very different) crises: the Partygate scandal threatening Boris Johnson and the continuing tension over Ukraine. We hear from Estonian PM Kaja Kallas on the latter. And our other guest, former European Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, talks geopolitics and trade. POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Annabelle Dickson and Matthew Karnitschnig unpack a brutal week for Boris Johnson after...

We take the temperature in the Baltics amid fears of a Russian attack on Ukraine and unpack how the U.K. is handling the crisis. We also talk to conservative Polish MEP Patryk Jaki about his government's clashes with Brussels. POLITICO's Charlie Duxbury joins the podcast panel from Latvia to report on how people in the Baltic nation are dealing with the prospects of a new war in their neighborhood...

Roberta Metsola, the new president of the European Parliament, is our special guest. We also unpack French President Emmanuel Macron's appearance in the European Parliament and share suggestions for Angela Merkel's next job. POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matthew Karnitschnig analyze Macron's big speech and the subsequent debate with MEPs in Strasbourg, which turned into a domestic French...

The coronavirus wave engulfing Europe and the West's standoff with Russia over Ukraine both feature in this episode. We also reflect on the legacy of European Parliament President David Sassoli, who died earlier this week. Russian and Western officials held a series of meetings this week to address fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Chief Brussels Correspondent David M. Herszenhorn, who's bee...

We look at the big stories we expect to shape 2022 and suggest a few New Year’s resolutions for European politicians — and DOT Europe Director General Siada El Ramly talks EU tech policy. POLITICO's Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig, Sarah Wheaton and David M. Herszenhorn discuss the stories they believe will drive the European political agenda this year — including political fallout from the pande...

The podcast crew, Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig and Cristina Gonzalez, present audio clips that sum up some of the big stories of the year — in a conversation recorded at a (virtual) gathering of EU Confidential listeners, who also feature in the episode. And with Christmas approaching, we look at the role of Jesus in modern politics. POLITICO's Jacopo Barigazzi walks us through hi...

As Angela Merkel bows out after 16 years, we focus this episode on Germany's new government and its chancellor, Olaf Scholz. We also debate the growing use of "Denglish" — a hybrid of German and English — among politicians. POLITICO's Andrew Gray and Matthew Karnitschnig explore expectations for the new government, particularly on foreign policy. And we feature some highlights from a live Twitter...

This week: the Omicron variant and its impact on Europe's coronavirus response, our editor-in-chief on China's approach to Europe and Amnesty International's boss on EU emergency migration measures. POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Sarah Wheaton break down Europe's response to the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the debate over making vaccines mandatory and the prospects for winter a...