Brussels Playbook Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Why rich countries want to join the EU Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

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 the bloc has to minimize his influence in European political decision-making if he’s reelected in the upcoming election.

Finally: Russia is recruiting informants to spy on dissidents abroad. POLITICO got its hands on a cache of text messages and recordings between two intelligence agents and a student blackmailed into spying for the Kremlin. We discuss what the correspondence tells us about Moscow’s efforts to infiltrate opposition groups in Europe.

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A reckoning for Europe’s center left Mar 27, 2026

Show notes

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 excerpt from an exclusive interview by POLITICO’s Tim Ross with Finland’s President Alexander Stubb — who has a stark warning about the economic fallout of the Iran war. He explains why he thinks the current moment could spiral further than many expect.

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The next refugee crisis Mar 26, 2026

Show notes

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 involved in hosting European leaders following Iranian drone strikes on the island earlier this month.

Finally: Is this the end of long-winded abbreviations in the Brussels Bubble? Probably not, TBH ... but we can dream!

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About those energy bills, Commissioner... Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

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 election result — and, yes, return to the great tree debate.

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More Russian snooping allegations Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

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 what Giorgia Meloni’s referendum defeat means for her authority at home.

And finally — Europe’s quirkiest contest returns. The “Eurovision of trees” is about to crown its winner, and we want your pick. Which tree do you like the most? Which one gets your vote? Send us your choice on our WhatsApp: +32 491 05 06 29.

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Is Hungary leaking EU secrets? A crisis of trust in Brussels Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

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.

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High price to pay: EU and UN wrestle with Middle East war Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

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 interview with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, who suggested both Iran and Israel may have committed war crimes for attacking energy infrastructure — and offered a warning about the challenge of clearing the Strait of Hormuz.

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Time for a tense summit Mar 19, 2026

Show notes

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, lawmakers will vote on a key part of the EU-U.S. trade deal, deciding whether to move ahead with lowering tariffs on American industrial goods — even as doubts remain about U.S. reliability.

And finally, a very Belgian problem — too many fries.

Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by Sarah Wheaton to break down the politics — from summit dynamics to transatlantic trade.

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Breaking the Orbán deadlock Mar 18, 2026

Show notes

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.

Also on the pod, Brussels is trying to do something about its startup problem. The European Commission will unveil the so-called “28th regime” which attempts to make it easier to start and scale new companies across borders. We explain why this plan is actually a test of something much bigger — and more political.

Finally, a new exhibition in the European Parliament traces the continent’s history through the eyes of a notary … because what’s more “EU” than official documents?

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Europe rejects Trump’s Iran demands Mar 17, 2026

Show notes

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 help secure the Strait of Hormuz, EU foreign ministers made clear they have no intention of sending warships there, with several capitals warning they won’t be dragged into the war.

And in the world of sport and geopolitics, EU Sports Commissioner Glenn Micallef is pressing FIFA President Gianni Infantino for clearer assurances that European fans travelling to the 2026 World Cup will be safe — as tensions rise following the U.S.-Israeli war in the Middle East.

Host Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by POLITICO’s chief foreign affairs correspondent, Nick Vinocur.

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