EPC Podcast

Can the EU become a serious geopolitical actor in a world of increasingly predatory powers?

Following Ursula von der Leyen’s latest State of the Union address, Paul Taylor is joined by Almut Möller, Director for European and International Affairs at the European Policy Centre, and Steven Everts, Director of the EU Institute for Security Studies, to assess whether Europe is finally strengthening its ability to act on security and defence — or once again promising more than it can deliver.

They discuss proposals for a European Security Council, closer ties with Canada and other “middle powers”, a new EU mechanism for responding to hybrid attacks, the division of labour between the EU and NATO, and whether Europe’s foreign-policy machinery is fit for an era of Russian aggression, US disengagement and growing pressure on the international order.

As Russia’s war against Ukraine drags on, its consequences are becoming increasingly visible at home. Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries and other targets have brought the conflict closer to ordinary Russians, while the Kremlin has intensified its crackdown on dissent ahead of parliamentary elections.

In this episode of The Language of Power, host Paul Taylor is joined by Dr Sabine Fischer, Senior Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), and Vitaly Shevchenko, Chief Russia Analyst at BBC Monitoring, to look inside Russia and assess how the war is reshaping the country.

They discuss what Russians are being told about the war, its impact on daily life and public opinion, the limits of political and media debate, the state of Russia’s opposition, and what the parliamentary elections reveal about the country’s political system. They also explore the mood among Russia’s military bloggers and elites, the risks faced by those expressing dissent, and whether the prolonged war could ultimately weaken Vladimir Putin’s grip on power.

Donald Trump once again arrived at a NATO summit under a cloud of controversy, questioning allies' commitments, reviving old grievances, and raising fresh doubts about America's role in European security. Yet the meeting ended with familiar declarations of unity, renewed pledges on defence spending, and promises of a stronger European pillar within the Alliance. So what really changed? Is NATO emerging more resilient from another Trump-induced test, or are deeper fractures becoming harder to ignore?

In this episode, Paul Taylor is joined by Jennifer Kavanagh and Iana Maisuradze to unpack the outcomes of the Ankara summit and what they reveal about the future of transatlantic security. From burden-sharing and US military retrenchment to deterrence, Ukraine, and the evolving Russian threat, they examine whether Europe is prepared to shoulder greater responsibility for its own defence. As the Alliance navigates an increasingly uncertain strategic landscape, they also explore whether NATO is entering a new phase of managed adaptation—or facing a more turbulent and unpredictable future

A six-year dialogue between European and Chinese think tanks comes to a close at a moment of rising geopolitical and economic tensions. Bringing together more than 1,000 participants across 36 exchanges, this sustained engagement sought to deepen mutual understanding, explore areas for cooperation, and test the limits of disagreement between the EU and China. But what did these confidential discussions really reveal? Did participants move beyond official narratives, and have the exchanges shaped policy thinking on either side?

In this episode, Paul Taylor is joined by Dr Jin Ling and Fabian Zuleeg to reflect on the main themes, insights, and challenges of this unique initiative – from debates on trade, technology and global governance to differing perspectives on security and industrial policy. As EU–China relations enter a more uncertain phase, they also explore whether such dialogue can still play a meaningful role in bridging divides.

Europe’s struggling automotive sector – still the continent’s largest manufacturing employer, accounting for nearly 14 million jobs and 7% of EU GDP – is facing contraction from the green transition, trade tensions and rising Chinese competition just as Europe seeks to rapidly scale up its underdeveloped defence industry. This episode explores how car and truck makers could help address critical defence gaps, from production capacity and skilled labour to advanced technologies and supply chains, while unpacking the structural, regulatory and cultural obstacles that stand in the way of closer cooperation. Drawing on new research, EPC Senior Visiting Fellow Paul Taylor hosts a discussion with Fuensanta Martinez Sans of ACEA and Olaf Pannenbaecker, Chairman of the Board of the European Factories of the Future Research Association, to examine whether a meaningful convergence between the automotive and defence sectors is feasible, what it would take to unlock it, and whether Europe can adapt its peacetime industrial model to today’s mounting security demands.

Can Europe withstand a new China shock?

As China’s industrial overcapacity reshapes global trade, Europe faces a difficult question: how can it protect its manufacturing base without accelerating economic fragmentation?

Ahead of the EPC’s second Brussels Economic Security Forum, this episode of The Language of Power explores whether Europe is entering a China shock of historic proportions – one driven not only by competitive Chinese technology and lower prices, but also by state-backed industrial policy, subsidies and strategic export power.

Host Paul Taylor is joined by Georg Riekeles, EPC's Associate Director, Head of Europe’s Political Economy Programme and Co-Director of the Brussels Economic Security Forum, and Yanmei Xie, Senior Associate Fellow at MERICS, to discuss the risks for European industry, the political pressure for tougher trade tools and how Beijing may respond if the EU moves towards a more assertive economic security agenda.

From steel, cars and chemicals to batteries, machinery and electric vehicles, the episode asks what Europe can do to prevent key industries from being swept away – and whether the EU has the political will to confront China’s industrial export wave.

A landmark EU–India Free Trade Agreement and accompanying Security and Defence Partnership, concluded after two decades of negotiations, brings together two major democracies representing a quarter of the world’s population and one-fifth of global GDP, with the ambition to double EU exports to India by 2032 while reshaping both sides’ strategic positioning amid tensions with the US, China and Russia.

In this episode of The Language of Power, Paul Taylor is joined by Sonia Prashar and Almut Möller to unpack how the deal goes beyond trade – exploring economic opportunities and persistent barriers, the implications for supply chains, investment, and defence cooperation, and the challenges posed by differing positions on issues such as Ukraine and the global order. The conversation also assesses the feasibility of major connectivity initiatives like the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor, asking whether this much‑heralded agreement can deliver a durable partnership in an increasingly fragmented geopolitical landscape.

Claude-France Arnould, Senior Fellow for European Defence at the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics and Former Director of the European Defence Agency, and Juraj Majcin, Policy Analyst at the European Policy Centre, join host Paul Taylor in this episode of The Language of Power to examine France’s proposal to extend its nuclear deterrent to European partners at a moment of growing uncertainty over the reliability of US security guarantees.

Drawing on President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement of “advanced nuclear deterrence”, the discussion assesses the credibility of France’s nuclear doctrine and arsenal, the reactions of NATO allies and Russia, and the political, military and financial implications of greater European reliance on French nuclear protection.

The episode explores whether this initiative represents a genuine strengthening of European deterrence, a stopgap hedge against American unpredictability, or a power play within an evolving European defence landscape.

Herman Portocarero, former Belgian and EU ambassador to Havana, and Iana Maisuradze, policy analyst in the EPC’s Europe in the World programme, join Paul Taylor in this episode of The Language of Power to assess Cuba’s deepening political and humanitarian crisis as the island faces renewed pressure from the United States. Against the backdrop of Washington’s tightening energy blockade, mounting economic collapse and mass emigration, the discussion explores where Cuba may be headed, what any US‑Cuban negotiations might entail, and how President Trump’s revival of a hardline Monroe‑style doctrine could reshape the Caribbean. The conversation examines whether the European Union has any meaningful leverage through diplomacy, humanitarian assistance or international law, or whether Cuba has become a subordinate issue in a transatlantic relationship dominated by US power and European strategic dependence.

Paul Taylor is joined by Fabian Zuleeg, Chief Executive and Chief Economist of the European Policy Centre, to examine Europe’s divided and uncertain response to the US‑Israeli war against Iran, a conflict that has left the EU sidelined while grappling with surging energy prices, heightened security risks and the prospect of fresh refugee flows. Their conversation explores why European leaders reacted so differently to the outbreak of the war, how the EU is struggling to balance its values with hard strategic interests, and what this means for issues such as reopening the Strait of Hormuz, supporting political change in Iran and addressing accusations of double standards. They also reflect on whether Europe must recalibrate its relationship with the United States and whether a genuinely common European foreign policy is achievable in a rapidly shifting global order.