Brussels Playbook Podcast

The power shift in Budapest hasn’t happened yet — but Brussels is already engaging with what comes next.

Péter Magyar arrives in Brussels as Hungary’s incoming prime minister, skipping the usual waiting period and heading straight into talks with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. His aim: unlocking billions in EU funds frozen over rule-of-law concerns. Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton walk through the early reset between Budapest and Brussels — and the risks that come with moving this fast.

In the European Parliament, MEPs debate how Russia is quietly edging back into global sports and cultural life. From the Olympics to the Venice Biennale, restrictions are softening — raising questions about what “neutral” participation really means during a war.

Finally, a new snapshot of climate change’s effect on Europe. A major scientific assessment finds almost the entire continent saw above-average temperatures last year, alongside heatwaves, drought and wildfires. Scientists warn a new El Niño could push extremes even further — and sooner than expected.

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Today on the pod, we’re talking money, money, money.

An important vote on the EU’s next long-term budget is happening in the European Parliament. Zoya and Nick discuss how lawmakers are pushing for a bigger cash pot ... which will likely cause a stir with some countries. We unpack the battle lines already starting to form.

Also, the College of Commissioners is meeting in Strasbourg to discuss how drafting legislation could be made more efficient — although critics warn this could weaken important safeguards. Plus, last week the Commission unveiled an age verification app designed to stop kids from accessing adult content online. But the rollout has been … bumpy.

Finally: It seems we really hit a nerve when we discussed whether shops in Brussels should be open on Sundays. Zoya and Nick sift through your heated messages.

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Europe is staring down a familiar and unwelcome set of circumstances: rising energy prices, slowing growth and growing political pressure.

As the fallout from the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran ripples through global markets, EU governments are scrambling to cushion the blow — with far fewer tools than they had when the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine triggered the last energy crisis.

Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by Nick Vinocur to unpack what this new economic shock could mean — not just for households, but for Europe’s political center.

Also on the pod: German conservatives turn up the heat on Ursula von der Leyen — and Belgium looks to keep the lights on in its shops a little longer.

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The fragile ceasefire in the Persian Gulf and the uncertainty over peace talks between the U.S. and Iran have cast a long shadow over European capitals hoping for an end to hostilities in the Middle East. Will they have any say over what happens next?

The wars in Iran and Ukraine have exposed the chasm between U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration in Washington and opinion on this side of the Atlantic. Each time the president attacks NATO and the contribution of European countries to the alliance, confidence in its durability weakens.

Host Anne McElvoy talks to Kurt Volker, whose job it was to manage relations between the U.S. and NATO allies as former ambassador to the organisation. He later served as U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine, handling the negotiations during the first Trump administration.

And later in this episode, Anne hears from Ian Wishart, who’s in Cyprus covering the informal summit of EU leaders. How will they wrestle with the war in Iran and its ongoing economic fallout?
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On today's show, Ian is in the sunny Mediterranean nation of Cyprus for the biggest gathering of EU leaders on the island for many, many years. 

Sarah joins from Brussels and Nick dials in from Greece, where he’s attending the Delphi Economic Forum.

Expect the agenda of the leaders' summit today and tomorrow to be heavy on geopolitics. High on the list of topics to discuss are the Iran crisis, high energy prices, the EU’s long-term budget and how the bloc can defend itself. So, pretty high stakes, then.

Over in Greece, Nick points out that — much to his surprise — several high-profile MAGA figures have shown up in force at the Delphi Economic Forum. With Hungarian leader and Trump ally Viktor Orbán on the way out, it seems the movement aligned with the U.S. president is looking for new friends.

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