Brussels Playbook Podcast

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.

Send any questions or comments to us on our WhatsApp: +32 491 05 06 29.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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?

Questions? Comments? Send them to our WhatsApp: +32 491 05 06 29.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.

Send any questions or comments to us on our WhatsApp: +32 491 05 06 29. 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 students from the bloc before Brussels and London can move forward with a "Brexit reset."

Zoya Sheftalovich and Kathryn Carlson break it all down.

If you have questions for us, or want to share your thoughts on the show, you can reach us on our WhatsApp at +32 491 05 06 29.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Committee and a minister in Angela Merkel’s government, Röttgen is a strong believer in the Atlantic alliance.  

He urges European leaders to speak with one voice on the war in Iran — and give qualified backing to the American-led strikes. We Europeans have to put our act together in order to be a relevant actor,” he tells Anne. “We are past the old post-war order. We have not seen the establishment of a new order … and if we are to give up on the United States, we are to give up on the West.”
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices