Brussels Playbook Podcast

POLITICO’s daily audio briefing on what’s moving Brussels — and why it matters.

The Brussels Playbook Podcast is the audio extension of the Brussels Playbook newsletter. Hosted by POLITICO's chief EU correspondent, Zoya Sheftalovich, the podcast runs Monday through Thursday, offering a clear, reporting-driven guide to EU politics in under 15 minutes. It’s a perfect companion for your morning coffee.

Each episode takes listeners inside the decisions, power shifts and debates shaping the day in Brussels — and explains how they connect to national capitals across Europe.

Clear, conversational and shaped by reporting from the heart of the EU, the Brussels Playbook Podcast brings context to EU politics as your day begins.

On Fridays, the same feed features a longer episode that goes deeper into the week’s biggest themes, offering context and analysis beyond the daily news cycle — with Sarah Wheaton behind the mic. 


News
Politics
News Commentary
1
Can Europe finally get tough on China?
Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is kicking off his visit to China today — and the stakes are high.
15 min
2
Behind closed doors, Europe braces for a deadly...
European governments are quietly preparing for a deadly hybrid attack.
18 min
3
How Spain's snap election could blow up Brussels
Spain’s snap election is poised to upend not just domestic politics ... but EU politics, too.
15 min
4
The race for the EU’s plum diplomatic jobs begins
The race for some of the EU’s most coveted diplomatic jobs is under way.
15 min
5
Russia's not-quite-war on Europe
Europe’s gray-zone war with Russia is getting harder to ignore.
33 min
6
The €865 billion brainstorming session
EU capitals and the Commission kick off a two-day brainstorming session on how a huge chunk of the next budget should work.
15 min
7
Is Bardella too toxic for Le Pen’s campaign?
Are these recent antisemitism allegations enough to make a dent in Marine Le Pen’s presidential campaign?
15 min
8
Trump, diesel and Europe's new energy squeeze
Another surge in energy prices risks making life even more expensive.
14 min
9
SPONSORED EPISODE: What is polyester worth?
As ultra-fast fashion has gotten cheaper, textiles have become disposable to many Europeans.
11 min
10
A new era for European defense?
Defense ministers are meeting to discuss whether the EU needs its own version of NATO’s article 4.
17 min
11
The Pope is fretting about frontier AI — what’s...
33 min
12
Russia's untouchable tycoons
Europe breathed a sigh of relief after finally agreeing on a new Russia sanctions list.
14 min
13
A power struggle in Brussels — and our big reveal
On the show, Zoya and Ian spotlight Ursula von der Leyen’s new senior adviser.
20 min
14
Is this how the Greenland crisis ends?
Denmark, the U.S. and Greenland are preparing to sign a security deal.
16 min
15
Merz’s election nightmare continues
Two state elections pile more pressure on German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
16 min
16
Week Ender: Can Europe patch up the world in di...
The old global order is breaking down. Ursula von der Leyen thinks Europe can build something new.
30 min
17
Von der Leyen makes it awkward with Canada
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney takes the stage in Strasbourg.
16 min
18
Special episode: State of the EU 2026 — promise...
In this special episode from Strasbourg, Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart give their first take on the State of the European Union speech delivered by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
12 min
19
AI fears grow as von der Leyen takes the stage
Zoya is in Strasbourg, previewing the Commission president's top-secret speech.
16 min
20
Can less paperwork get EU workers moving?
Why is it easier for a jar of peanut butter to cross EU borders than it is for a European worker?
16 min
21
The EU’s plan for ‘weaponized’ migration
In this year's State of the EU speech, migration is likely to feature heavily.
15 min
22
Is Europe winning the ‘fight’? Von der Leyen’s ...
A year since von der Leyen's last speech, has Brussels met the moment?
26 min
23
Behind Trump's push to break the International ...
The U.S. is on a campaign to dismantle the ICC. Now, it wants help from NATO allies. 
16 min
24
The EU’s Israel dilemma
The EU is struggling to withstand the allure of Israel’s tech and missile defense prowess.
15 min
25
Kaja Kallas takes another hit
Kallas' defense initiative was killed before it even launched.
15 min