Politico's Eu Confidential

We debate what the EU and its leaders can do to counter Russian propaganda, particularly in Africa, about the global food crisis. And we tell the story of Umeå, Sweden, which has become a trailblazer in incorporating gender equality into urban design. Aitor Hernández-Morales, author of POLITICO's Living Cities newsletter, is joined by agriculture reporter Eddy Wax to explain the recent U.N.-brokered deal struck in Turkey between Ukraine and Russia to allow for exports of millions of tons of grain through the Black Sea. Clea Calcutt in Paris breaks down French President Emmanuel Macron's trip to Africa this week, and Brussels politics reporter Ilya Gridneff addresses Russian propaganda about the EU's role in the food crisis and why the bloc is struggling to combat it. Then POLITICO's Giovanna Coi takes us on her recent trip to Sweden to explain how the city of Umeå has become a test case for other European cities — tackling both climate change and urban equality by re-designing itself for women. The story is p

We dive into the politics of this week's hot topic — Europe's response to a devastating heat wave and how that impacts current energy troubles. We also look into a debate over crypto currencies and how they should be regulated across the EU. POLITICO's Bjarke Smith-Meyer hosts this week's episode, which kicks off with a heated discussion on this week's devastating heat wave across Europe. Karl Mathiesen, our senior climate correspondent, explains why natural disasters like this can be expected more often and shines a light on the disparity between Europe's efforts to cope with climate change compared to other parts of the world. Aitor Hernández-Morales, author of POLITICO's Living Cities newsletter, tells us which cities in Europe have been most effective at helping their residents deal with the heat — and why Southern Europeans feel left behind by Brussels' policies to address the issue. And Zia Weise, our reporter covering climate policy, explains how policymakers are trying to balance climate policies with

Our POLITICO mobility team takes over this episode — unpacking the issues facing the travel industry this summer and what European policymakers can do to address them. Joshua Posaner, POLITICO's senior policy reporter based in Berlin, talks to Chief Europe Correspondent Matt Karnitschnig about the EU's aim to phase out the combustion engine by 2035 and whether Germany's Finance Minister Christian Lindner can do anything to stop it. And Matt recommends this timely beach read for our listeners. The rest of POLITICO's mobility team, Hanne Cokelaere and Mari Eccles, join Josh to explain why Europe's summer travel season has been so chaotic — and whether there's any hope for a reprieve soon. We then speak with Wizz Air CEO József Váradi to better understand why so many flights are currently being canceled around Europe. And the team brings us a debate over staff shortages and strikes at airports with Olivier Jankovec, director general of the European Region of the Airports Council International, and Livia Spera, g

As drama unfolds across the English Channel, we look at where things stand with the EU's migration policy and examine EU-Australian relations. We also review a revealing new documentary on Emmanuel Macron's international diplomacy efforts and explain why interpreters in the European Parliament are upset with their post-COVID working conditions. Brussels Playbook co-author Suzanne Lynch hosts this episode, which begins with our French politics reporter Clea Caulcutt giving us the skinny on a new behind-the-scenes documentary on Macron’s diplomatic efforts to stop the war in Ukraine. Clea also explains the political calculus behind Macron's recent Cabinet reshuffle and what it means for Brussels. And POLITICO's Maïa de La Baume joins the discussion to explain the latest tangle between the EU and its all-important interpreters. Ylva Johansson, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, joins Suzanne on the podcast to discuss the EU's migration policy — what progress has been made since unveiling its plan in Septemb

Coming to you from the NATO summit in Madrid, our POLITICO team analyzes a packed week in international diplomacy and what it means for Europe and its security. We also hear from the prime ministers of Sweden, Norway and Estonia. Sarah Wheaton hosts this week's episode, which kicks off with a discussion with our team at the NATO summit in Madrid — Lili Bayer, David M. Herszenhorn, Paul McLeary and Hans von der Burchard. They analyze what was behind the main decisions and point to some of the uncertainties that remain. They also discuss the missed opportunities at the G7 summit in Germany earlier in the week, and how German Chancellor Olaf Scholz performed as host of his first major international gathering. Our special guests in this episode include Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson on her country's path to joining NATO and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on changes to his region's security situation. We also talk to Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who shares her view on the summit's ou

Coming to you from the EU leaders' summit in the heart of Brussels, we discuss Ukraine's candidacy to join the club and the lack of progress for EU-hopefuls in the Western Balkans. We hear from Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Florence Gaub, foresight adviser to the Council of the European Union. This week's episode, hosted by POLITICO's David M. Herszenhorn, comes to you from the European Council where the EU's 27 heads of state and government decided to designate Ukraine and Moldova as candidates for EU membership. POLITICO's Lili Bayer, Giorgio Leali and Hans von der Burchard join David to unpack how the decision was made and where the discussion on EU accession goes from here. Giorgio also explains how French President Emmanuel Macron's gravitas around the Council table may have been diminished by his centrist alliance's disappointing showing in parliamentary elections last weekend. We also discuss how the French president's idea for a "European political commu

We explore more repercussions of the war in Ukraine, explain the latest dust-up between the U.K. and the EU and unpack the patois of political panel discussions. Our special guest is retired British diplomat and author John Ramsden, who talks poets, politics and economics. POLITICO's Andrew Gray is joined by Matthew Karnitschnig, who tells us about his recent trip to a remote strip of land along the border between Lithuania and Poland that's the focus of renewed attention due to Russia's war on Ukraine. POLITICO's Eddy Wax catches us up on the food crisis triggered by the war, while Suzanne Lynch explains the latest tussle between the U.K. and the EU over Northern Ireland. For some light relief on Andrew's last show as host, the podcast crew goes meta by holding a panel discussion on panel discussions — a big feature of Brussels and other political bubbles. Why are they so popular, what do people get out of them and what are the pitfalls? We play a game of "duo-panelo" to reveal the true meaning of classic pa

We break down the controversy over a plan to unlock billions of euros in EU funds for Poland and debate Angela Merkel's return to the public arena. Our special guest is Julianne Smith, the U.S. ambassador to NATO. POLITICO's Andrew Gray and Lili Bayer unpack Ursula von der Leyen's plan to give Poland a path to coronavirus recovery funds as the European Commission president faces criticism — some of it from senior members of her own team — that she's letting Warsaw off the hook on rule-of-law standards. And Matthew Karnitschnig joins the panel to debate Angela Merkel's decision to return to the stage — literally — after six months of silence since stepping down as German chancellor. In an extensive interview in front of an audience in a Berlin theater, Merkel addressed whether her own policies played a role in emboldening Russia to attack Ukraine. Lili interviews our special guest Julianne Smith, the U.S. ambassador to NATO. Smith discusses how the alliance may reinforce its eastern flank in light of the war i

We unpack EU leaders' deal to ban Russian oil imports — with some notable exceptions after Hungary played hardball. And author Tommaso Pavone tells the story of the lawyers who turned "ghostwriters" to make the EU a legal reality. POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Matthew Karnitschnig, Lili Bayer and David M. Herszenhorn assess this week's EU summit, where leaders struck a late-night agreement to ban Russian oil — but only after making more concessions to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The crew also discusses what's next for the EU in terms of sanctions after the bruising battle over this package. You'll hear what Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, French President Emmanuel Macron and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas told POLITICO about the summit — and about whether the EU’s sanctions are having an impact on Vladimir Putin. Our special guest is Tommaso Pavone, assistant professor of law and politics at the University of Arizona and visiting researcher at the ARENA Center for European Studies at the Univer

This special edition of EU Confidential from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland drills into the question of whether the EU is really ready for a forceful response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It’s the last of our special episodes from the prestigious ­— or, some would say, notorious — gathering of power players in this Alpine resort town. POLITICO’s Sarah Wheaton, Jamil Anderlini and Suzanne Lynch analyze German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s speech on the forum’s closing day. They also reflect on how the discussion in Davos will extend beyond this conference — and recap some less-than-classy moments at exclusive parties featuring acts like the Black Eyed Peas and The Chainsmokers. Paul Grod, president of the Ukrainian World Congress, speaks to Sarah about how the Ukrainian diaspora is keeping up the pressure on Europe. Then we catch up with Wellcome Trust Director Jeremy Farrar for a quick check-in on the coronavirus pandemic. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad joins us for a conversation about

This bumper edition of Davos Confidential includes a debate on the death of globalization, the prospects of more countries joining the European Union and an insider's take on the role of women at the World Economic Forum. POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton, Jamil Anderlini, Ryan Heath and Suzanne Lynch debate an issue they and others have been grappling with all week: is globalization dead? Historian and professor Adam Tooze also shares his thoughts on the subject. Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, speaks to Suzanne about the EU's role on the global stage, Russian sanctions and the prospects of Ukraine joining the bloc. Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița also wants her country of Moldova to join the EU and shares her thoughts on the issue. Meanwhile, Ireland's Taoiseach Micheál Martin says he's open to changing the EU treaties to potentially pave the way for other countries to join without facing some of the existing hurdles. Journalist Anya Schiffrin, a professor at Colombia University in New York a

We hear exclusively from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the chance of clinching a sixth package of EU sanctions, and from experts on Russia and the latest trends in the financial world. POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton is joined by Editor in Chief Jamil Anderlini, Playbook author Suzanne Lynch and Ryan Heath, editorial director of global growth. The team discusses the Tuesday's big speeches by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and von der Leyen, who spoke to Suzanne about after the chances of EU leaders agreeing on the latest package of proposed Russian sanctions during next week's summit in Brussels. With Russia's war in Ukraine top of mind, former Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb shares his views on the wider impact of the conflict and the prospect of Finland joining NATO. Jamil also sat down with Bill Browder to discuss his new book, "Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin's Wrath." There's also an interview with Karen Karniol-Tambo

This episode comes to you from the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland — featuring participants from business, government and the non-profit sectors. POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton is joined by Jamil Anderlini, Suzanne Lynch and Ryan Heath to explain what the WEF seeks to accomplish at a time of tremendous political and economic instability. They discuss Monday's much-anticipated speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and question why so few G20 leaders have shown up at this year's unusual spring-edition of the forum (the WEF is historically held in January when ski jackets and crampons are a must). Jamil brings us a conversation with Mykhailo Fedorov, vice prime minister of Ukraine and minister of digital transformation, about how technology is aiding his country's battle against Russia. And Julien Vaulpré, founding partner of PR firm Taddeo and ex-advisor to former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, shares his impressions of what the WEF is really all about. We then hear from Richard Edelma

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 Karnitschnig, who calls in from Warsaw. The team breaks down the strategic thinking behind Finland and Sweden's big shifts on NATO, the implications for the alliance, possible reactions from Russia and Turkey's tough talk on the membership applications. Lili brings us insight from Finland's Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Pekka Haavisto. We also take you inside a POLITICO newsroom-wide effort to assess how the European Commission has performed at the mid-point in its five-year term. Who's been a star player? Who's been relegated to the bench? Senior Policy Reporter Joshua Posaner has some of the answers and you c

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 culminated in a grand ceremony in Strasbourg earlier this week. Andrew is joined by POLITICO's Maïa de La Baume, who shares her impressions from attending one of the gatherings of EU citizens that fed into the conference. [8:09] French President Emmanuel Macron used the ceremony to propose the creation of a "European political community," which could include countries outside the EU like Ukraine and the U.K. POLITICO's Hans von der Burchard tell us how this and other ideas are going down in Berlin, after Macron's visit earlier this week with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Chief Europe Correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig weig

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 Commission's proposal for a sixth round of sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine. Barbara breaks down the faultlines within the EU over the headline measure, a ban on Russian oil imports, and looks ahead to what might be coming next on the sanctions front. [10:57] Chief Europe Correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig weighs in on the sanctions from Vienna. He also attempts to explain why German Chancellor Olaf Scholz can't seem to get over the snubbing of Steinmeier, who was declared unwelcome in Kyiv three weeks ago. And Matt gives us insight into his latest piece, "12 Germans who got played by Putin." [17:12] Our sp

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 election and the gains made by far-right leader Le Pen — and what both may mean for Europe. (Nick mentions this story from our reporters on EU hopes and fears around Macron. And you can read more French election coverage here.) [9:12] POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig and Lili Bayer join the panel to reflect on the defeat of another populist right-wing European leader: Slovenia's Trump-loving Prime Minster Janez Janša. They also discuss the European Commission's unprecedented move to trigger a process that could cut EU funds to Hungary over rule-of-law breaches. [17:50] Our Senior Climate Correspondent Karl Mathiesen takes

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 victory rally in front of the Eiffel Tower and Giorgio Leali brings us reaction from the Le Pen camp. Chief Europe Correspondent Matt Karnitschnig joins us from Berlin to look at the repercussions for the EU and for transatlantic relations. You can find all our French election coverage here, and if you prefer your French politics en français, you can get our daily Playbook Paris here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Le Pen ahead of the final round of the French presidential election this Sunday. POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig also joins the conversation to give the broader European perspective on the race. Matt then brings us this week's feature interview with Gustav Gressel, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin. They discuss Germany's continued reluctance to supply Ukraine with heavy weaponry and its impact on Berlin's standing within the EU and among other Western allies. Programming note: We'll host a live conversation on the French election on Sunday at 10 p.m. CET on Twitter. Andrew,

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 the French election. We also discuss Ukraine's rebuff of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier amid more German angst over arms deliveries. And we ask what Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer thought he could achieve by visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin. Our reporter Lili Bayer talks to Slovakian PM Heger about his visit to Ukraine with top EU officials, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He describes his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a harrowing visit to the town of Bucha, the scene of atrocities against Ukrainian civilians widely condemned as Russian wa