Europe is facing another potential energy shock — and this time, Brussels is starting to float something politically tricky: using less fuel. Host Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by POLITICO’s senior EU politics editor Ian Wishart to break down a warning from Brussels that points to a possible need to cut fuel use, as fears grow of a prolonged disruption linked to the war in Iran. They also zoom in on Kyiv, where EU foreign ministers are marking the anniversary of the Bucha massacre of March 2022 wh...
Mar 31, 2026•15 min•Ep. 29
For two decades, aspiring EU members wanted to join the bloc to get richer. Now, that’s changing. With conflicts raging at Europe’s doorstep and NATO shaky under Donald Trump, even rich countries want to join the bloc, hoping it’ll help them feel safer. Zoya and Nick unpack this shift on today’s episode. Also on the show, we trace Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s political journey from a liberal dissident to MAGA darling. As the leader continues to antagonize the EU, we ask what options t...
Mar 30, 2026•18 min•Ep. 28
The far right took some minor hits to its seemingly impenetrable armor this week, as people in Denmark, Italy, France and Slovenia headed to the polls. But those votes also told another, more existential story: the slow-motion collapse of the EU’s center left. To unpack what’s ailing left-leaning parties across the bloc, host Sarah Wheaton is joined by a panel of POLITICO colleagues: Clea Caulcutt in Paris, James Angelos in Berlin, and Iberian correspondent Aitor Hernández-Morales. Plus, an exce...
Mar 27, 2026•37 min•Ep. 428
Officials are meeting in Brussels today to discuss the brutal civil war in Sudan and the looming refugee crisis that may result. U.N. officials warn that the conflict could lead to a mass displacement on a par with what happened with Syria in 2011. Zoya and Sarah unpack what the various humanitarian agencies want the EU to do about it. You’ll also be hearing from Cyprus’ Europe minister, Marilena Raouna, who reflects on the Cypriot Council presidency so far and assesses the security risks involv...
Mar 26, 2026•17 min•Ep. 27
Europe is facing another energy shock — so what can it actually do to keep prices down? Zoya Sheftalovich speaks with Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen in a conversation recorded live at POLITICO’s Competitive Europe summit, on how the EU is responding to rising costs linked to the war in Iran — and what happens if the crisis drags on. Then, back in the studio, Zoya and Ian Wishart look at the contest among nine cities vying to host the EU’s new customs authority, take stock of Denmark’s tight e...
Mar 25, 2026•16 min•Ep. 26
After Hungary was accused of leaking sensitive EU discussions to the Kremlin, the spotlight is now shifting to Germany. Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by Ian Wishart to unpack mounting concerns in Brussels over the far-right AfD’s access to confidential EU documents — and whether Europe’s open systems are creating new vulnerabilities. The duo also discuss Denmark’s election, where Mette Frederiksen is fighting for another term in a tight race, and break down a razor-thin result in Slovenia — plus w...
Mar 24, 2026•15 min•Ep. 25
Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur unpack Donald Tusk’s accusation that Hungary may have leaked sensitive European Council discussions to Moscow — and what that means for trust, decision-making and Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán’s position in Brussels. Plus: Europe’s balancing act as Donald Trump turns up the pressure over Iran — and a breakdown of the weekend’s voting in France and Germany. Questions? Comments? Send them to our WhatsApp: +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega...
Mar 23, 2026•16 min•Ep. 24
This European Council summit was meant to be different — when Europe finally got serious about boosting homegrown industry and driving its own destiny without reacting to Donald Trump. But it was not to be. POLITICO’s Zoya Sheftalovich, Nick Vinocur and Zia Weise join EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton for late-night analysis of the response to high energy prices fueled by the war in Iran and the growing rage at Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. That’s followed by Anne McElvoy’s exclusive i...
Mar 20, 2026•36 min
EU leaders gather in Brussels for a high-stakes summit — with Viktor Orbán once again at the center of the debate over funding Ukraine. As tensions rise, the big question is whether the Hungarian prime minister will hold the line or shift under pressure from fellow leaders. At the same time, divisions are emerging over how Europe should respond to the war in Iran — from ways to tackle rising energy prices to how far to go in coordinating with Washington. Meanwhile, in the European Parliament, la...
Mar 19, 2026•15 min•Ep. 23
Europe is working hard to end the standoff with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán over the €90 billion loan promised to Ukraine. Host Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart, senior EU politics editor, discuss how likely it is for the deadlock to be resolved before tomorrow’s meeting of EU leaders now that Kyiv has agreed to work with the bloc to repair the Druzhba pipeline. Orbán has held off on greenlighting any funding until Ukraine fixes this pipeline that carries Russian oil into Hungary. Als...
Mar 18, 2026•15 min•Ep. 22
European affairs ministers meet in Brussels to prepare this week’s EU summit — with discussions ranging from Ukraine and the war in Iran to the bloc’s next long-term budget and competitiveness. But there is also motion on enlargement. Ukraine and Moldova are receiving the remaining negotiating clusters in their EU accession talks, while Montenegro is set to provisionally close another chapter. Meanwhile the war with Iran is already testing transatlantic unity. After Donald Trump urged allies to ...
Mar 17, 2026•15 min•Ep. 21
Energy markets are on edge as Iran tensions disrupt shipping and threaten supply shocks. EU foreign ministers and energy ministers meet in Brussels to discuss what the bloc can actually do to protect global energy flows — and whether it has the tools to act. Meanwhile, Norway is positioning itself as a reliable energy lifeline as the geopolitical turmoil puts security of supply back in focus. And the U.K.'s Brexit minister is in town as the EU asks Britain to lower the tuition fees it charges st...
Mar 16, 2026•16 min•Ep. 20
The mixed messages by President Trump and his administration about how long the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran will last have unnerved allies and shaken European markets. Two weeks into the conflict, EU capitals are asking when it will end and how they can influence what comes next — none more so than Berlin. In this week's episode, host Anne McElvoy talks to a key ally of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Norbert Röttgen. A longstanding member of the Bundestag, a former chair of its Foreign Affairs Com...
Mar 13, 2026•38 min
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging Europe to find a way around Hungary. In an interview with POLITICO’s Gordon Repinski, Zelenskyy called on EU leaders to come up with a “Plan B” to secure Ukraine’s long-term funding — and to work around what he described as the “blackmail” of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is holding up a promised €90 billion EU loan (listen to full interview here ). Host Zoya Sheftalovich and policy editor Sarah Wheaton break down the tensions inside...
Mar 12, 2026•17 min•Ep. 19
Ukraine is running out of money to fight Russia — but Hungary still isn’t budging on its opposition to the EU’s €90 billion loan to Kyiv. On today’s episode, host Zoya Sheftalovich and Kathryn Carlson, senior finance reporter, outline some of the contingency plans European countries have up their sleeves to get Ukraine the funding it needs before it’s too late. Also on the podcast, POLITICO’s Karl Mathiesen has interviewed Frank Furedi, who runs MCC Brussels, a think tank linked to Hungarian Pri...
Mar 11, 2026•17 min
European leaders haunted by memories of the 2022 energy crisis are bracing for impact as the war in the Middle East begins to drive up oil and gas prices. Today on the podcast, host Zoya Sheftalovich and Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Nicholas Vinocur discuss what tools the EU has at its disposal to soften the blow for consumers — is the bloc better prepared than it was four years ago? Later on: A rocky relationship is on the mend. The European Parliament’s two largest political groups — th...
Mar 10, 2026•15 min
Some European governments are arguing Commission President Ursula von der Leyen overstepped her mandate in her response to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. On today’s episode, host Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur, POLITICO's chief foreign affairs correspondent, unpack the frustration they’re hearing from national diplomats who argue the latest Middle East crisis has seen von der Leyen wading onto their turf — and not for the first time. Meanwhile, ministers will meet in Brussels today for an i...
Mar 09, 2026•16 min
For decades, Europeans shared a simple belief: that the world — however messy — ultimately runs on rules. But what if the escalating war in Iran shows that these rules no longer apply? In this episode of EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton speaks to two foreign affairs experts who help unpack how the ongoing crisis in the Middle East impacts Europe. Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations and author of the forthcoming book “Surviving Chaos: Geopolitics When the Rules ...
Mar 06, 2026•29 min
A controversial new idea on EU enlargement is stirring debate in Brussels. Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton unpack a proposal known as “reverse enlargement,” as the European Commission tests how far EU capitals are willing to go to speed up Ukraine’s path toward the bloc. Meanwhile, the war in Iran looms over two meetings in Brussels: EU foreign ministers hold talks with their Gulf counterparts about the escalating conflict, while home affairs ministers discuss deportations policy and how Eur...
Mar 05, 2026•16 min•Ep. 15
“Made in Europe” is finally here. After four delays and fierce internal battles, the European Commission unveils its Industrial Accelerator Act — a plan aimed at challenging China’s dominance in clean tech and tilting public procurement toward EU-made products. Ian Wishart and senior finance reporter Kathryn Carlson break down what the push really means: Who stands to benefit, who fears creeping protectionism, and whether Brussels is turning inward at a fragile moment for global trade. Meanwhile...
Mar 04, 2026•14 min•Ep. 14
Europe is no longer watching the conflict in the Middle East from a distance — it’s directly entangled. Iranian missiles flying over Cyprus. EU leaders divided over messaging. Von der Leyen and Kallas on parallel tracks. And Germany’s chancellor in Washington trying to shape the transatlantic line. Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart break down the EU’s crisis response, the battle over who speaks for Europe, and the ripple effects for Ukraine — from enlargement to defense. And finally — is Brussel...
Mar 03, 2026•16 min•Ep. 13
After a weekend of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran — and the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — Brussels is moving to coordinate its diplomatic response. EU ambassadors convened, foreign ministers met online and Ursula von der Leyen called the Defense College. But as tensions escalate across the region, is Europe shaping events — or reacting to them? Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur unpack the EU’s balancing act: condemning Iran’s retaliation, avoiding direct criticism of Washington and...
Mar 02, 2026•16 min•Ep. 12
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 te...
Feb 27, 2026•29 min
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 im...
Feb 26, 2026•15 min•Ep. 11
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 discu...
Feb 25, 2026•15 min•Ep. 10
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 sha...
Feb 24, 2026•15 min•Ep. 9
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 ...
Feb 23, 2026•16 min•Ep. 8
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 defe...
Feb 20, 2026•36 min
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 Commissio...
Feb 19, 2026•16 min•Ep. 7
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 ag...
Feb 18, 2026•15 min•Ep. 6
