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.
201
Brussels' Twitter headache — Kyiv Mayor Vitali ...
This week, we debate how Europe is grappling with Twitter since Elon Musk took the helm. We hear from Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and discuss a new book about the EU's "Superstate" status.
36 min
202
G20 summit digested — Viktor Orbán's authoritar...
The annual gathering of G20 leaders in Bali, Indonesia was overshadowed by a deadly incident in Poland. In this week's show, we analyze reactions in Europe and around the world.
35 min
203
COP27 and Europe's climate role — A new Cold War?
On this week's episode, host Suzanne Lynch in Brussels speaks with Karl Mathiesen, POLITICO's senior climate correspondent, at the COP27 climate conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
38 min
204
Europe braces for US mid-term elections
As Americans head to the polls next week, we dive into transatlantic relations and the impact these elections could have on European policy and relations with Washington.
32 min
205
NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg — Commissioner Věra...
This week, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discusses how the war in Ukraine has shaped the military alliance. We also dig into the EU's proposed law to protect media freedom and debate the controversy surrounding Germany's relationship with China.
34 min
206
Live from EU leaders meeting on energy, Ukraine...
This week's episode comes to you from the heart of the European Quarter in Brussels, where the 27 EU leaders are meeting once again for a European Council.
23 min
207
Putin's escalation — Western Balkan migration c...
pisode, POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch breaks down the reaction to Russia's recent escalation in Ukraine with an update from NATO headquarters.
39 min
208
From Prague: The European Political Community i...
This week's EU Confidential comes to you from Prague Castle, where leaders of the EU's 27 countries held a historic meeting with well over a dozen other nearby countries, including the United Kingdom, Turkey and Ukraine, among others.
26 min
209
Italian election — Pipeline problems — EU ambas...
We discuss the implications of Italy's election last weekend and what its probable next prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, could mean for Europe. Our special guest is Stavros Lambrinidis, the EU's ambassador to the United States.
31 min
210
UN General Assembly — Russian escalation — EU r...
Coming to you from New York City, this bumper edition of EU Confidential brings you the highlights of the U.N. General Assembly and gets reaction from European leaders on Russia's recent threat of military escalation.
38 min
211
State of the European Union — MEPs debate
Coming to you from Strasbourg, EU Confidential breaks down this week's big EU moment: the State of the Union address delivered by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
36 min
212
Energy emergency — Canada's EU ambassador — New...
New host Suzanne Lynch digs into the EU's plans to address its energy crisis. Our special guest is Canadian Ambassador to the EU Ailish Campbell.
33 min
213
Monkeypox in Europe — Big Tech vs. Telecoms battle
In this bumper edition before the summer break, we explain the monkeypox outbreak in Europe and the EU's response. We also preview the biggest lobbying battle brewing in Brussels between Big Tech platforms and telecom operators.
39 min
214
Russian propaganda — Macron in Africa — Cities ...
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.
27 min
215
Heat wave — Energy vs. climate — Crypto spotlight
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.
31 min
216
Summer travel chaos — Combustion engines' end —...
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.
43 min
217
EU Home Affairs chief Ylva Johansson — Aussie r...
As drama unfolds across the English Channel, we look at where things stand with the EU's migration policy and examine EU-Australian relations.
36 min
218
NATO summit — Swedish, Norwegian and Estonian P...
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.
36 min
219
Ukraine on EU membership path — Balkan backlas...
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.
32 min
220
Ukraine impact — Panel-speak, decoded — Poets' ...
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.
36 min
221
Merkel's return — Poland pushback — US NATO amb...
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.
32 min
222
Russian oil ban — Hungarian hold-up — EU 'ghost...
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.
37 min
223
Scholz on Ukraine — COVID update — Food waste s...
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.
37 min
224
Death of globalization? — EU expansion — Women ...
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.
41 min
225
Russian oil sanctions — Stagflation fears — Cry...
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.
39 min