Why the European Union matters

“The European Union is, in a way, a treasure,” says Distinguished Brookings Fellow  in this podcast. “It’s a treasure that really signifies peace, that signifies cooperation … the type of thing the global world of today needs.” Solana, former secretary general of NATO and EU foreign policy chief, describes how he started as a physics professor before turning to policy-making and reaching the highest levels of Spanish and European institutions; discusses how the EU negotiates the shoals of nationalism; addresses the EU’s responses to the crisis in Ukraine and its approach to the negotiations with Iran; and offers his advice for success in navigating a global world.    Also in this episode, Senior Fellow , director of the , offers his regular "Wessel's Economic Update," focusing on the question of whether the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing program increased inequality. And, George Burroughs gets an update from Nonresident Senior Fellow  on the water crisis in the western states. This follows the Brookings Cafeteria podcast , the "Vegas water czar." Show Notes:  (event) , Brookings Essay by Strobe Talbott  (New and Expanded Edition), by Carlo Bastasin Subscribe to the Brookings Cafeteria on , listen on , and send feedback email to .