The Europe Desk

Europe is navigating a moment of profound economic and geopolitical uncertainty. From global supply chain pressures and rising security demands to debates over fiscal rules and industrial competitiveness, policymakers are being pushed to rethink the continent's economic model. As Finance Minister of Baden-Württemberg, one of Germany's economic powerhouses, Danyal Bayaz sits at the intersection of...

The European Union is actively working to find its place in the ever changing geopolitical landscape. With the war in Ukraine, a growing China and an unpredictable Washington, the European Investment Bank is working overtime to fund defense and much more throughout the EU. We sat down with the President of the EIB, Nadia Calviño, to discuss the many facets of the EU's investment goals under the cu...

Brussels is pushing to begin formal membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova at the end of June as Hungary continues its oppostition; the newly passed "foreign agent law" in Georgia seems to be stalling the country's EU course. Enlargement has been at the top of the EU agenda since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, but these developments seem to be complicating each member candidate's p...

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has passed its second year mark, and support from Kyiv is now facing multiple challenges, from a military aid package that is stalled in U.S. Congress, to rifts in the EU's "strategic ambiguity" strategy and shortages in ammunition production. For this episode, we sat down with Max Bergmann, Director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and Stuart Center at th...

We sat down with Dr. Endre Szentkiralyi, president of the United Hungarian Societies and author, to discuss the role of diaspora communities in shaping the culture and society of the United States, as well as identity and assimilation in these communities. His works include the following: Being Hungarian in Cleveland: Maintaining Language, Culture, and Traditions ; Cold War to Warm Cooperation: Th...

 As discussions on the future of the transatlantic relationship on Earth run hot, the Europe Desk has its head in - or rather above - the clouds: We sat down with Prof. Dr. Hoffman, former NASA astronaut, and current MIT professor, to discuss differing European and US priorities regarding space, the potential for enhanced transatlantic collaboration, and how sustainability is crucial - both in spa...

We sat down with Ana Kozomara of the Advanced Leadership in Politics Institute (ALPI) in Serbia. In this episode, we discuss the current landscape of women's political representation in Serbia and why prioritizing women's political empowerment is essential to democracy building in the country, as well as for trans-regional cooperation. The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German an...

We sat down with Anesa Omanović, Marta Onorato, and Željka Cvejin of the International Republican Institute. In this episode, we cover IRI's efforts to advance and improve women's political representation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Serbia, and how such efforts have implications for objectives like trans-regional cooperation and EU accession. The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Ce...

We sat down with Valerie Dowling,  Director of Women's Democracy Network (WDN) and Private Sector Engagement at International Republican Institute (IRI), a nonpartisan, nongovernmental sister organization of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). In this episode, we discuss the current landscape of women's political representation in Albania and why prioritizing women's political empowerment...

We sat down with Dr. Andrew Lebovich, a research fellow at the Clingendael Institute focused on Conflict Research. As an expert on security and political issues in the Sahel, we were able to ask Dr. Lebovich about the coup in Niger, the rising influence of China, Turkey and Russia in the region as well as the EU's interests in the Sahel.  The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German...

We sat down with Jaume Duch Guillot, the Director-General for Communication of the European Parliament and its spokesperson. We discussed the upcoming 2024 European Parliament elections, their implications and the work done by the Communications department.  The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. It brings toget...

We sat down with Dr. Danyel Reiche, a Visiting Research Fellow at the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS), a Visiting Associate Professor at Georgetown on the Qatar campus who teaches on "Soccer Politics", and co-author of the book "Qatar and the 2022 FIFA World Cup: Politics, Controversy, Change". We discussed the intersection of soccer and politics including sportswashing, the s...

We sat down with College of Europe Rector and former Vice President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini to discuss EU-China relations, and how she expects the EU's de-risking process to proceed.  The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. It brings together leading experts working on the most pertinent issu...

On June 12, 2023, former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi passed away at the age of 86, leaving behind his party, Forza Italia, and a media empire worth more than $7 billion. In this episode, we sat down with Georgetown University professor Pauliina Patana to discuss Silvio Berlusconi's legacy and what comes next for the Italian state. The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for G...

In collaboration with our partners at Columbia University, the Europe Desk sat down with Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow and director of research at the Brookings Institution as well as Yevhen Fedchenko, the chief editor and co-founder of Ukrainian fact-checking website StopFake.org. In this expansive conversation, the Europe Desk and our guests discuss the war on the ground, the future of weste...

Last month, The Europe Desk sat down with Martin Schulz, the Former President of the European Parliament, to hear his reflections on recent events and perspective on the future of European affairs. Our conversation spanned various topics, including Qatargate, the future of the European socialist movement, and the Russia-Ukraine crisis.  The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German a...

Guest: Professor Marc Busch Although the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is largely concerned with promoting environmental protection and advancing climate goals, its provisions regarding electric vehicles have unexpectedly become a sticking point in transatlantic relations. In this episode, we sat down with Georgetown University professor and trade expert Marc Busch to better understand why Europea...

Barcelona has emerged as one of the EU's top startup hubs, and we wanted to learn about the factors that set the city up for success in this space, as well as how European and American cities can contribute to innovations in the science and technology spheres. We sat down  with Alexis Roig, Barcelona's Chief Science and Technology Envoy and CEO of SciTech DiploHub, to learn more about his role in...

The Russian war in Ukraine and Europe's current energy crisis are inextricably linked. Recent crisis-response techniques in the European Union appear to have been successful for the continent, resulting in just enough stored energy to survive through the coming winter. Looking ahead, medium- and long-term policies targeted at diversifying energy sources will be vital for economic and environmental...

While an increasingly erratic climate demands environmental action and mitigation measures, the pandemic and war in Ukraine underscore serious vulnerabilities in global supply chains. In this context, we focus on two areas at the center of the transatlantic agenda — sustainability and resilience. Recent legislative developments in the U.S and EU aim to advance decarbonization, resource efficiency,...

EU Commissioner for the Economy and former Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni recently joined the Europe Desk to discuss the state of the economy and the proposed recovery strategies. We asked him about potential fragmentation amongst EU Member States and what this means for solidarity. We also asked him about the additional economic challenges some countries face in the form of high debt leve...

European Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly recently joined The Europe Desk to discuss her work on ethics, lobbying, whistleblowing, transparency in law-making, and good practices in EU public administration. The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. It brings together leading experts working on the most pertinent issues faci...

The month of September saw multiple elections taking place across Europe, with two especially high-profile contests in the United Kingdom and in Italy. In this episode, POLITICO Europe's Suzanne Lynch joined us to break down the results of each contest, what they mean for the domestic politics of each country, and how these results may impact these countries' relationships with the European Union....

At the Madrid Summit this past summer, NATO Leaders made significant and transformative choices that established the Alliance's near- and long-term strategic orientation with the 2030 Strategic Concept. The latest Strategic Concept was issued twelve years ago, but Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to heighten Europe's security posture. As NATO members respond to the prospect of Russian aggres...

Dr. Andreas Schwab, Member of the European Parliament and of the German CDU, is the rapporteur for the Digital Markets Act (DMA). In this episode, we follow up with MEP Schwab to get some updates on the EU's efforts to regulate global tech companies through the passage of the DMA. The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washingto...