This week’s episode of EU Confidential comes to you from Thursday’s emergency meeting of EU leaders — the political equivalent of sobbing into your pillow on a sleepless night. The reason for those tears: America and Europe just broke up. 

POLITICO’s Clea Caulcutt gives us a quick update on European Council talks on how to bolster defense spending and further support Ukraine. We then step back for a more nuanced discussion: What does “peace” even mean, really, and how might Ukraine and Russia actually achieve it? Host Sarah Wheaton sat down with Mikko Patokallio, a Ukraine specialist at the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, which helps mediate global conflicts. 

Finally, Elisa Braun, author of the EU Influence newsletter, walks us through the growing ideological faultline over public funding for NGOs.

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

Germany has voted, and Friedrich Merz is now the chancellor-in-waiting. But can he rise to the occasion? With Donald Trump signaling a retreat from Europe and cozying up to Vladimir Putin, the continent faces its biggest security challenge in decades. Will Merz shake off Germany’s long-standing hesitation and step up?

Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by James Angelos, POLITICO’s news editor in Berlin; Jana Puglierin, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations; and Nick Vinocur, POLITICO’s editor-at-large, to break down what the election results mean for Berlin, Brussels and beyond.

We explore Merz’s complicated relationship with Ursula von der Leyen, his challenge in forming a coalition, and whether his hardline stance on migration will help or hurt him as he faces the surging far-right AfD, which came second in the election — a historic result that cements them as Germany’s biggest opposition party.

Plus, we take you to Antwerp, where the European Commission unveiled its Clean Industrial Deal — a plan to keep Europe’s industries green and competitive. Sarah traveled there to speak with Wopke Hoekstra, the EU’s Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, and caught up with Belgium’s new Prime Minister Bart De Wever ahead of the upcoming emergency EU summit.

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

Europe suddenly has to do it all — all alone, all at once.

Still in shock after U.S. President Donald Trump’s unequivocal pivot toward Moscow, European leaders are grappling with the real possibility that they won’t be able to count on NATO — and the reality that the EU might not offer much of an alternative format.

That said, companies and capitals are looking to Brussels for a way to prop up struggling industries while not abandoning climate goals. And German voters will decide on Sunday whether to side with Trump and Elon Musk to support the far-right Alternative for Germany party.

POLITICO’s Chris Lunday joins EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton to explain how migration is testing Germany’s firewall against the far right. Then, Defense Editor Jan Cienski and Policy Editor Joanna Roberts break down Europe’s existential choices on both defense and economics. 

And don’t miss the latest episode of our sister podcast, Power Play. Host Anne McElvoy sits down with John Bolton, who served as Trump’s national security adviser during his first presidency. Listen here.

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

You’ve gotta hand it to Donald Trump — even when you’re expecting him to surprise you, he still surprises you. 

The Unites States president once again caught Europe off guard with his plan to start Ukraine peace talks — after a call with Vladimir Putin. As the post-World War II order veers toward collapse, how many more surprises will it take before European leaders actually do something?

POLITICO’s Veronika Melkozerova, Clea Caulcutt and Koen Verhelst join EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton to analyze how the EU is managing tensions on trade, tech and security.

But it’s not all breakups: In honor of Valentine’s Day, we’re talking to one of the duos on POLITICO’s list of Brussels Power Couples 2025: Members of the European Parliament Robert Biedroń and Krzysztof Śmiszek, who mix the personal and political in their fight for LGBTQ rights. 

And don’t miss the latest episode of our sister podcast, Power Play. Host Anne McElvoy sits down with Federico Sturzenegger, the right-hand man of Argentina’s president, Javier Milei. They discuss, among other topics, the Mercosur deal. It’s worth a listen, here.

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

Pasta, pizza, and Parmigiano — delicious? Absolutely. But in 2025, they’re also deeply political.

This week on EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton digs into how food has become a battleground, with POLITICO agriculture reporter Alessandro Ford explaining how Italy’s far-right — and politicians across Europe — are using the Mediterranean diet to push back against Brussels. From Nutri-Score to climate policies, we unpack the rise of gastro-nationalism and how a diet once rooted in simplicity is now fueling a political fight.

We also have another installment of our Berlaymont Who’s Who series: Sarah sits down with POLITICO tech reporter Pieter Haeck to discuss Henna Virkkunen, the European Commissioner for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.

With online election meddling on the rise and Elon Musk challenging EU regulations, Virkkunen is in charge of enforcing the Digital Services Act — but does Brussels have the resolve to keep Big Tech in check?

Further reading: The Mediterranean diet is a lie, by Alessandro Ford.

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

Diplomatic credentials? Optional. Deep pockets and loyalty to Trump? Essential.

As Donald Trump rolls out his picks for U.S. ambassador posts in Europe — think fast-food executives, Broadway producers, billionaire donors and family insiders — one thing is clear: this isn’t traditional statecraft.

Take Andrew Puzder, the former fast-food CEO and future U.S. ambassador to the EU (pending Senate confirmation). Like many of Trump’s nominees, he has no diplomatic experience but only strong political and business ties.

Of course, Trump isn’t the first president to favor political appointees over career diplomats — Democrats do it too. But is this just business as usual, or does Trump’s selection signal a deeper shift in U.S. foreign policy?

Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Ivo Daalder, former U.S. ambassador to NATO; Suzanne Lynch, author of POLITICO’s Global Playbook; and POLITICO's labor reporter based in Washington, D.C., Nick Niedzwiadek, to break it all down. Will economic interests take precedence over diplomacy? Will these new ambassadors help maintain transatlantic ties — or, as Daalder puts it, will they be forces of destruction?

For more insights from Ivo Daalder, check out his podcast, World Review with Ivo Daalder. Listen here.

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

As Donald Trump settles back into the White House, all eyes—even in snowy Davos—are on Washington. Host Sarah Wheaton reports from the World Economic Forum, joined by Josh Lipsky, Senior Director at the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center, and MEP Eva Maydell, to discuss Europe’s weakening relevance amid tariff threats, tech battles, and shifting power dynamics.

Plus, a special Davos update from our sister podcast Power Play— host Anne McElvoy shares a secret fondue tip and reflects on the Davos vibe after producing daily episodes featuring, among others, historian Niall Ferguson and former Trump insider Anthony Scaramucci.

You can listen to Power Play here.

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

While the president of the European Commission was secretly in the hospital, the next president of the United States was musing about invading Greenland. Ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration, EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton was joined by POLITICO editor-at-large Nicholas Vinocur, defense reporter Laura Kayali and trade reporter Koen Verhelst to analyze why Europe seems to be paralyzed in the face of looming trade wars, Arctic gamesmanship and the rise of populists in countries around the bloc. 

Further reading:

Trump’s invasion of Greenland would be ‘the shortest war in the world’, by Laura Kayali and Hanne Cokelaere

Grabbing Greenland would be a bad deal for Trump, by Koen Verhelst and Jakob Weizman

Austria’s Kickl brings Europe’s anti-populist firewall crashing down, by Nicholas Vinocur, Nette Nöstlinger, Oliver Noyan and Max Griera

Don’t freak out: Austria tries to reassure Brussels amid far right’s bid for power, by Nicholas Vinocur and Elena Giordano

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

The world’s richest man has a lot to say, a vast platform, and the ear of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Now he has turned his focus to Europe. As Elon Musk weighs in on European politics, often supporting extreme candidates and promoting conspiracies, Brussels tech regs appear no match for the algorithmic onslaught. For former MEP Marietje Schaake, now International Policy Director at Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center, it’s just a small part of Europe’s subordination to Silicon Valley, as described in her book “The Tech Coup.” She joins Rasmus Kleis Nielsen, professor at the University of Copenhagen and co-author of “The Power of Platforms,” and host Sarah Wheaton to discuss the political trade-offs of free speech.

And in case you need extra motivation to fulfill those New Year’s resolutions, we introduce you to “sweatworking.” POLITICO’s Kathryn Carlson explains the art of schmoozing and schvitzing at Brussels’ high-end gyms. 

Further reading:

Sweatworking: How the gym became Brussels’ elite new lobbying spot, by Kathryn Carlson and Federica Di Sario

‘Nobody was tricked into voting for Trump’: Why the disinformation panic is over, by Laurie Clarke

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

To kick off the new year, we’re sharing a standout episode from our sister podcast, Power Play. EU Confidential will be back next week, but for now, join us for this deep dive into the rise of JD Vance.

From Hillbilly Elegy to vice-presidential candidate, JD Vance has come far since his  hardscrabble roots in Ohio to shape the Trump doctrine for the millennial generation. He’s also gained notoriety for upping the temperature of America’s heated political discourse. But there’s also a philosophical side to Vance, shaped by a network of advisers and supporters on the other side of the Atlantic.

Host Anne McElvoy talks to two friends who have watched Vance’s rise closely: James Orr, a professor of religion at Cambridge University and a leading figure behind the National Conservative movement in the U.K., and Rod Dreher, a former American Conservative columnist who has links to Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán. Anne is also joined by Jonathan Martin, POLITICO’s politics bureau chief and senior political columnist, to reflect on Vance’s career prospects.

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

For the final episode of EU Confidential this year, we revisit a compelling discussion on the European Union’s waning influence in its eastern neighborhood, originally recorded in October. With a fresh wave of pro-EU and anti-government protests erupting in Georgia, this conversation is more relevant than ever and well worth another listen.

The episode examines the EU’s struggle to maintain its foothold in Moldova and Georgia, and explores how the ongoing war in Ukraine shapes voter sentiment. We also delve into the impact of Russian interference, domestic political dynamics and Brussels’ own missteps on the future of these countries.

EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton leads the discussion with POLITICO reporters Eva Hartog, Gabriel Gavin and Veronika Melkozerova, offering insights into the challenges and high stakes at play.

Later in the episode, we shift focus to the inner workings of the European Commission’s restructured leadership. In a POLITICO Pro Connect session, top policy editors Joanna Roberts, Aoife White, Cory Bennett, Jan Cienski and Douglas Busvine explore the power dynamics within the Commission — who’s wielding real influence and who’s left with merely ceremonial roles.

The event was part of the POLITICO Pro Connect “In Conversation With” series, which you can learn more about here.

Further reading:

Moldova and Georgia ring alarm bells for the EU, by Gabriel Gavin and Eva Hartog

Pro-EU campaign won in Moldova despite ‘unfair fight,’ president says, by Gabriel Gavin

The man who bought a country, by Dato Parulava, Eva Hartog and Gabriel Gavin

"Ashes of Our Fathers. Inside the Fall of Nagorno-Karabakh," Gabriel Gavin’s book, will be released in January 2025.

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