EU Confidential

Bulgaria’s big step toward using the euro is a victory for European unity — but the country itself isn’t united on whether joining the common currency is a good idea. And if Sofia is actually jumping the gun, the risks to the whole eurozone are dire. Izabella Kaminska, POLITICO senior editor and finance expert, joins host Sarah Wheaton to unpack the pros and cons of ditching the lev for both Sofia and Brussels Then, Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania’s former foreign minister and one of Europe’s most hawkish voices on Ukraine and defense, stops by with a blunt message ahead of the June 24-25 NATO summit. He warns of EU complacency, calls for tougher action to support Kyiv, and offers a glimpse of his life after politics — including a forthcoming memoir and whether a return to the spotlight might be in the cards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Trump is finally facing some resistance. Can Europe seize the moment? This week on EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton speaks with Swedish Member of the European Parliament Karin Karlsbro, just back from Washington, about how Brussels is reading the room in D.C. — and whether there’s any real appetite for a “beautiful trade deal” before Trump’s July tariff deadline. We also hear from POLITICO’s news editor Josh Berlinger in Paris and national security reporter Amy Mackinnon in Washington, as they unpack a rare burst of old-school transatlantic coordination — with U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal crisscrossing Europe to rally support for sweeping new sanctions on Russia. Plus: What Poland’s surprise presidential result — and a MAGA-adjacent win — could mean for Donald Tusk and the EU. And do start eyeing your bookshelf as we call for summer reading tips. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Slaps were exchanged — some literal, some political — and suddenly Brussels isn’t just watching from the sidelines. This week on EU Confidential, we dive into a whirlwind of action across the continent: a presidential toss-up coming up this Sunday in Poland; Brussels turning up the pressure on Hungary over LGBTQ+ rights; and the EU’s rare public rebuke of Israel’s Gaza offensive. Meanwhile, Donald Trump calls Putin “crazy” — but Europe is left wondering whether that means anything at all. Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO’s Jan Cienski, Clea Caulcutt and Nick Vinocur to break it all down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The EU-Israel relationship is at a tipping point.  This week on EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton breaks down how EU leaders are calling for scrutiny of a long-standing trade agreement between Brussels and Israel, as Gaza faces famine amid an ongoing Israeli military offensive. Rym Momtaz, editor-in-chief of the Strategic Europe blog at Carnegie Europe and an expert on European and Middle Eastern politics, joins to explain what’s driving the shift — and whether it could lead to real consequences. Later, former Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar drops into the studio to strategize on how to handle Trump 2.0, the rise of “identity politics” globally and the EU-U.K. rapprochement.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Those text messages Ursula von der Leyen didn’t want to share? The EU’s top court says that’s not OK. In a win for transparency advocates, Europe’s judges have ruled that the European Commission was wrong to hold back von der Leyen’s text exchanges with Pfizer’s CEO during vaccine contract negotiations. POLITICO health reporter Mari Eccles joins host Sarah Wheaton to unpack what the ruling means for Brussels, for von der Leyen’s leadership style, and for how the EU handles power behind the scenes. Then we turn to Poland, where voters are preparing for a high-stakes presidential election. Calling in from Warsaw is Andrzej Bobiński, managing director at Polityka Insight. Joining Sarah in the studio is Małgorzata Bonikowska, president of the Centre for International Relations, a Polish think tank. Together they break down what’s at stake for Donald Tusk’s government — and why this vote is seen as a bellwether for Europe’s political direction and a potential reshaping of regional alliances. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]