Albania's 'flamingo revolution' comes to Brussels

Can Europe’s big five get their act together in Berlin?

Europe’s biggest military powers are meeting today. The group of countries is called the E5 (not to be confused with the E3) and consists of France, Germany, the U.K., Italy and Poland. They’ll be preparing for the NATO summit next month and discussing support for Ukraine. Hosts Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart discuss what smaller meeting formats like this mean for the EU as a whole. Also on the show, we discuss the new EU agreement on migrant return laws. Under the new rules, people ordered to leave EU territory could be transferred to detention centers in countries outside the bloc. It’s a highly contentious plan, but it’s moving ahead at a fast pace, with countries already floating potential countries to house these so-called “return hubs.” And finally, we’ve spoken on the show before about the heatwave that’s hit Europe. Now we dig into a story by senior climate reporter Zia Weise on why it’s so warm. Questions? Comments? Send us a voice note or message us on WhatsApp here [https://api.whatsapp.com/send/?phone=32491050629&text=Hey+Zoya+and+crew%21+&type=phone_number&app_absent=0] or at +32 491 05 06 29. On June 30, we’re celebrating 100 episodes of the Brussels Playbook Podcast. Do you want to attend a live taping? Click here [https://www.politico.eu/event/registration/8565071] to register for a chance to apply!  This episode was produced by Dionis Sturis and Saga Ringmar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The Visegrád Four is back from the dead

The leaders of Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary are gathering for the first proper Visegrád Group summit in more than two years. Meetings of these four countries have essentially been frozen since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine — in large part because of former PM Viktor Orbán. With the Hungarian leader’s ouster, the format is back, but can the group actually work together? Plus, we’re checking on the U.K., where Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigned yesterday and looks likely to be replaced by former Manchester mayor Andy Burnham. But what does this transfer of power mean for EU-U.K. relations? We take a deeper look. And finally, as of July 1, people working at the European Parliament will be given more days to work from another country each year — from five to 10. It’s good news for any staffers who were jealous of the Commission’s generous work-from-abroad policies. What do you think about working from another country? Do you like it or do you struggle to get anything done? Send us a voice note or message us on WhatsApp here [https://api.whatsapp.com/send/?phone=32491050629&text=Hey+Zoya+and+crew%21+&type=phone_number&app_absent=0] or at +32 491 05 06 29. On June 30, we’re celebrating 100 episodes of the Brussels Playbook Podcast. Do you want to attend a live taping? Click here [https://www.politico.eu/event/registration/8565071] to register for a chance to apply!  This episode was produced by Dionis Sturis and Saga Ringmar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Why tensions are high between Poland and Ukraine

When Ireland takes over the presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1, they will have a lot of hot-button issues to deal with. Host Zoya Sheftalovich sat down last week with Irish Minister for European Affairs Thomas Byrne at a POLITICO event to dig deeper into what he believes Dublin’s top priorities will be. We’ll hear from him on the show. Plus, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may be heading to Poland this week as tensions heat up between Kyiv and Warsaw. We dig deeper into why a tragic event from decades ago is still causing strain between the two countries today. And finally, Europe’s hot ... real hot. As a heatwave hits the continent, Nick and Zoya desperately search for ways to stay cool. Questions? Comments? Send us a voice note or message us on WhatsApp here [https://api.whatsapp.com/send/?phone=32491050629&text=Hey+Zoya+and+crew%21+&type=phone_number&app_absent=0] or at +32 491 05 06 29. On June 30 we’re celebrating 100 episodes of the Brussels Playbook Podcast. Do you want to attend a live taping? Click here [https://www.politico.eu/event/registration/8565071] to register for a chance to apply!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Who should negotiate with Putin?

Brussels Playbook Week Ender host Sarah Wheaton is on the ground at the European Council summit, where divisions over European Council President António Costa's outreach to the Kremlin divided leaders and dominated an evening that was supposed to be devoted to confronting the trade deficit with China. Chief EU Correspondent Zoya Sheftalovich, trade reporter Carlo Martuscelli, Berlin correspondent Nette Nöstlinger and Senior Defense Correspondent Jacopo Barigazzi break down the divisions and look ahead to how next year's elections affect today's talks. Also this week, Anne McElvoy brings together two leading figures to reflect on the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum and where the EU-U.K. relationship may go next. Jeremy Hunt was a close Cabinet colleague of David Cameron and became the U.K.'s foreign secretary and chancellor in the years after the vote. He’s just written "Can We Be Rich Again?," which is about Britain’s economic problems since Brexit. Peter Altmaier was Angela Merkel’s right-hand man as head of the German Chancellery and served as her finance and economy minister during the fraught Brexit negotiations between the EU27 and the UK.  If you have comments, send us a voice note or message us on WhatsApp here [https://api.whatsapp.com/send/?phone=32491050629&text=Hey+Zoya+and+crew%21+&type=phone_number&app_absent=0] or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Europe’s budget war starts now

EU leaders arrive in Brussels for a summit dominated by two major debates: How far Europe should go in confronting China and how the bloc should shape its next long-term budget. Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton break down the tougher mood toward Beijing, the divisions among capitals and the battle over what Europe should spend its money on. Then, they meet the four new heads of government taking their seats around the European Council table — and assess who could become the next ally, wildcard or obstacle on Ukraine, sanctions and Israel. And finally, inside the Commission’s enlargement department, officials are turning to a homegrown AI tool to help check whether aspiring EU members are bringing their laws into line with the bloc’s rules. Do you have a story about using AI for your work and it all going terribly wrong ... or maybe terribly right? Send us a voice note or message us on WhatsApp here [https://api.whatsapp.com/send/?phone=32491050629&text=Hey+Zoya+and+crew%21+&type=phone_number&app_absent=0] or at +32 491 05 06 29. Plus: On June 30, we’re celebrating 100 episodes of the Brussels Playbook Podcast. Do you want to attend a live taping? Click here [https://www.politico.eu/event/registration/8565071] to register for a chance to apply!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]