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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.
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Special episode: An exclusive interview with Canadian PM Mark Carney
In this special edition, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney sits down with POLITICO's chief EU correspondent Zoya and Ottawa bureau chief Nick Taylor-Vaisey for an exclusive interview. With Canada and the European Union exploring a much cl
Inside America's midterm election battle
America is heading to the polls for the midterm elections — and Europe is watching closely. With the outcome set to have consequences far beyond Washington, from trade to defense, we're bringing you a special episode of The Conversation, ho
The great EU-Canada lovefest
European leaders are descending on Montreal in a bid to forge closer ties with Canada. On today's show, host Zoya Sheftalovich catches up with Sarah Wheaton, who's on the ground at the EU-Canada summit. They unpack what the talks could actu
The Putin call dividing EU leaders
Europe's united front on Ukraine is showing cracks. Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre have opened a direct line to Vladimir Putin, drawing criticism from some fellow European leaders — even as U
Inside von der Leyen's Commission shake-up
Ursula von der Leyen’s plan to slim down and reorganize the European Commission moves a step closer, with outside advisers calling for a stronger center, fewer bureaucratic silos and potentially far-reaching changes to some of Brussels’ mos
It’s complicated: The status of EU-Canada relations
Canada and the EU want a much closer relationship — but they still disagree over what that relationship actually is. Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur look ahead to this week’s EU-Canada summit in Montreal, where leaders are still negotiat
Can Europe save the world's war crimes court from Trump?
U.S. President Donald Trump has the world’s war crimes court in his crosshairs. By sanctioning the entire International Criminal Court, his administration is threatening its ability to function. Europe has rushed to the court’s defense — bu
Who speaks for Europe in the Ukraine peace talks?
As the U.S. pushes to revive peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, a question is causing tensions in Brussels: Who actually speaks for the EU? Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton examine the growing influence of Ursula von der Leyen’s pow
Brussels goes looking for billions to fund Ukraine
With Washington's support for Kyiv increasingly uncertain, Brussels is looking to its allies to help keep Ukraine afloat. The price tag: €70 billion. On today's show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Kathryn Carlson discuss how the EU hopes to persuad
Macron and Merz edge closer to a budget deal
The Arctic is becoming a geopolitical battleground — and the EU wants a bigger role. The European Commission is unveiling a new strategy focused on security, as Russia builds up its military presence, China explores new shipping routes, and
Trump's Russia rethink — and Europe's response
Donald Trump’s latest moves on Russia and Ukraine have alarmed Kyiv and European capitals alike. But rather than scrambling to contain the fallout, EU leaders are keeping their cool. Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur explore Europe’s strat
EU summit runs out of gas
It's been a packed agenda at the European Council summit, with little sign of progress on key issues. EU leaders continued to argue over the bloc's long-term budget, with energy supply and security taking up much of the discussion ... inclu
EU leaders face off over the budget
EU leaders meet today for their first chance to beef about the budget face to face. On the show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton dive deeper into why leaders look increasingly unlikely to reach an agreement on the EU’s next money pot by
Europe's development aid dilemma
The Commission is grappling with two goals that may be counterproductive: cutting migration and slashing development aid. The EU executive’s argument is that a slash in development funding will likely result in people showing up at European
The Ceuta fears shaping Spain’s election
As the United States looks towards Russia for diesel, European leaders are doubling down on their support for Ukraine. On the show, hosts Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart unpack all the ways the EU plans to put its money where its mouth is
The EU budget battle just got nastier
Germany has rejected Ireland's proposal for the EU's next seven-year budget, despite €159 billion in cuts. And it's not alone: Governments are divided over where the cuts should fall, while the European Parliament is threatening to block th
Is the EU ready for the next pandemic?
Five years after the height of the Covid pandemic, how much better prepared is the EU for the next health crisis? Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO health reporter Helen Collis and global health expert Michel Kazatchkine to discuss t
Can Europe finally get tough on China?
Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is kicking off his visit to China today — and the stakes are high. On today’s show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton discuss the most important topic on the agenda: Europe’s trade deficit with China. Fra
Behind closed doors, Europe braces for a deadly attack
Russia’s hybrid attacks across Europe — cyberattacks, sabotage, drone incursions — have been ramping up in recent months. But European governments are quietly preparing for something much worse. On today’s show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wi
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. On today’s show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart break down all the far-reaching impact the tumult in Madrid could have for the bloc — from effe
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. Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur unpack why this year’s routine EEAS rotation is attracting unusually strong interest from senior Commission officials — and what it
Russia's not-quite-war on Europe
Europe’s gray-zone war with Russia is getting harder to ignore. Sarah Wheaton speaks to security expert and author Elisabeth Braw about how Europe should respond as sabotage, arson, cyberattacks and attacks on critical infrastructure become
The €865 billion brainstorming session
Ukraine’s prime minister is warning of a $20 billion defense funding gap as Russia intensifies its attacks and Kyiv struggles to protect its skies and keep the country running. Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton look at just how much press
Is Bardella too toxic for Le Pen’s campaign?
Ursula von der Leyen is heading on her annual tour of the Western Balkans to visit some of the countries in line to join the EU. But Bosnia & Herzegovina and Serbia, two accession hopefuls, are not on the itinerary. On the show, Zoya Shefta
Trump, diesel and Europe's new energy squeeze
Another surge in energy prices risks making life even more expensive for Europeans — especially once winter rolls around. So when EU energy ministers meet in Dublin today, affordability will be at the top of their agenda. On the show, Zoya
SPONSORED EPISODE: What is polyester worth?
As ultra-fast fashion has gotten cheaper, textiles have become disposable to many Europeans. The average EU consumer purchased 95 articles of textiles last year — an increase of 12 percent since 2019. Europe now discards about 9 million ton
A new era for European defense?
Europe’s defense ministers are meeting today to discuss whether the EU needs its own version of NATO’s article 4. This so-called Emergency Security Protocol would allow capitals to bring together all EU countries in the event of a security
The Pope is fretting about frontier AI — what’s the EU’s answer?
European lawmakers this week called for the EU’s artificial intelligence regulations to hold American tech companies liable for the risks their most advanced models pose to humanity. But how much sway does Europe have in an arms race domina
Russia's untouchable tycoons
Europe breathed a sigh of relief after finally agreeing on a new Russia sanctions list. But attention is turning to the compromise that got it over the line: dropping two Russian billionaires. On the show, hosts Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah
A power struggle in Brussels — and our big reveal
Today’s episode was recorded in front of an audience at our Brussels Playbook Live event. On the show, hosts Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart spotlight Cristina Lobillo Borrero, Ursula von der Leyen’s new senior adviser for the Clean Trans
