Ekrem İmamoğlu, Istanbul’s mayor and the main political rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has been arrested. So what is Europe doing about it? Staying pretty quiet, it seems. Mass protests are breaking out across Turkey but Brussels is keeping its counsel.

In this episode Sarah Wheaton speaks with Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former journalist in Turkey, about what’s really driving Erdoğan’s shift toward authoritarianism and how Europe is responding — especially with a view to Turkey’s growing importance for European security.

But Europe’s focus isn’t all on defense. We also examine some of the EU’s overlooked policy changes, from food and textile waste to agriculture and medicine shortages. Sarah is joined by Politico’s experts on sustainability, agriculture and health — Marianne Gros, Bartosz Brzeziński and Rory O’Neill — for an insightful dive into what’s going on behind the scenes.

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A lobbying frenzy, secret perks, and now police raids. Huawei’s cozy ties in Brussels have exploded into a full-blown corruption scandal.

As the European Parliament tries to rehabilitate its image post Qatargate, lawmakers are once again at the center of allegations. With offices sealed and arrests made, there are serious questions about how deep Beijing’s influence really runs.

Host Sarah Wheaton breaks it all down with POLITICO's cybersecurity and intelligence reporter, Antoaneta Roussi, and Laurens Cerulus, POLITICO's cybersecurity editor. 

Meanwhile, over in Berlin, the Bundestag made a historic move: ​voting to break from Germany’s long-standing fiscal conservatism. Get ready for unprecedented borrowing to bolster defense spending, aligning Germany with the EU's broader defense initiatives. POLITICO’s Chris Lunday joins us from Berlin to explain what it means for Germany and Europe.

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100 days in, Europe’s top leaders are facing a reality check. 

Ursula von der Leyen talks about a new sense of urgency — but is she leading, or just firefighting? António Costa wants to unify the bloc — but can he keep Europe together on defense? Kaja Kallas vowed to sharpen EU foreign policy — but after a snub in Washington, is anyone listening?

With transatlantic ties fraying, host Sarah Wheaton sits down with Brussels top policy minds to assess whether Europe’s leadership is fit for purpose — or stuck in the past. 

Joining her are Rosa Balfour, director of Carnegie Europe; Karel Lannoo, CEO of the Centre for European Policy Studies; and Heather Grabbe, senior fellow at Bruegel.

Later, Jacopo Barigazzi, POLITICO’s senior defense correspondent, introduces Andrius Kubilius, the EU’s first-ever defense commissioner, in our latest installment of Berlaymont Who’s Who. 

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This week’s episode of EU Confidential comes to you from Thursday’s emergency meeting of EU leaders — the political equivalent of sobbing into your pillow on a sleepless night. The reason for those tears: America and Europe just broke up. 

POLITICO’s Clea Caulcutt gives us a quick update on European Council talks on how to bolster defense spending and further support Ukraine. We then step back for a more nuanced discussion: What does “peace” even mean, really, and how might Ukraine and Russia actually achieve it? Host Sarah Wheaton sat down with Mikko Patokallio, a Ukraine specialist at the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, which helps mediate global conflicts. 

Finally, Elisa Braun, author of the EU Influence newsletter, walks us through the growing ideological faultline over public funding for NGOs.

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Germany has voted, and Friedrich Merz is now the chancellor-in-waiting. But can he rise to the occasion? With Donald Trump signaling a retreat from Europe and cozying up to Vladimir Putin, the continent faces its biggest security challenge in decades. Will Merz shake off Germany’s long-standing hesitation and step up?

Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by James Angelos, POLITICO’s news editor in Berlin; Jana Puglierin, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations; and Nick Vinocur, POLITICO’s editor-at-large, to break down what the election results mean for Berlin, Brussels and beyond.

We explore Merz’s complicated relationship with Ursula von der Leyen, his challenge in forming a coalition, and whether his hardline stance on migration will help or hurt him as he faces the surging far-right AfD, which came second in the election — a historic result that cements them as Germany’s biggest opposition party.

Plus, we take you to Antwerp, where the European Commission unveiled its Clean Industrial Deal — a plan to keep Europe’s industries green and competitive. Sarah traveled there to speak with Wopke Hoekstra, the EU’s Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, and caught up with Belgium’s new Prime Minister Bart De Wever ahead of the upcoming emergency EU summit.

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Europe suddenly has to do it all — all alone, all at once.

Still in shock after U.S. President Donald Trump’s unequivocal pivot toward Moscow, European leaders are grappling with the real possibility that they won’t be able to count on NATO — and the reality that the EU might not offer much of an alternative format.

That said, companies and capitals are looking to Brussels for a way to prop up struggling industries while not abandoning climate goals. And German voters will decide on Sunday whether to side with Trump and Elon Musk to support the far-right Alternative for Germany party.

POLITICO’s Chris Lunday joins EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton to explain how migration is testing Germany’s firewall against the far right. Then, Defense Editor Jan Cienski and Policy Editor Joanna Roberts break down Europe’s existential choices on both defense and economics. 

And don’t miss the latest episode of our sister podcast, Power Play. Host Anne McElvoy sits down with John Bolton, who served as Trump’s national security adviser during his first presidency. Listen here.

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You’ve gotta hand it to Donald Trump — even when you’re expecting him to surprise you, he still surprises you. 

The Unites States president once again caught Europe off guard with his plan to start Ukraine peace talks — after a call with Vladimir Putin. As the post-World War II order veers toward collapse, how many more surprises will it take before European leaders actually do something?

POLITICO’s Veronika Melkozerova, Clea Caulcutt and Koen Verhelst join EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton to analyze how the EU is managing tensions on trade, tech and security.

But it’s not all breakups: In honor of Valentine’s Day, we’re talking to one of the duos on POLITICO’s list of Brussels Power Couples 2025: Members of the European Parliament Robert Biedroń and Krzysztof Śmiszek, who mix the personal and political in their fight for LGBTQ rights. 

And don’t miss the latest episode of our sister podcast, Power Play. Host Anne McElvoy sits down with Federico Sturzenegger, the right-hand man of Argentina’s president, Javier Milei. They discuss, among other topics, the Mercosur deal. It’s worth a listen, here.

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Pasta, pizza, and Parmigiano — delicious? Absolutely. But in 2025, they’re also deeply political.

This week on EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton digs into how food has become a battleground, with POLITICO agriculture reporter Alessandro Ford explaining how Italy’s far-right — and politicians across Europe — are using the Mediterranean diet to push back against Brussels. From Nutri-Score to climate policies, we unpack the rise of gastro-nationalism and how a diet once rooted in simplicity is now fueling a political fight.

We also have another installment of our Berlaymont Who’s Who series: Sarah sits down with POLITICO tech reporter Pieter Haeck to discuss Henna Virkkunen, the European Commissioner for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.

With online election meddling on the rise and Elon Musk challenging EU regulations, Virkkunen is in charge of enforcing the Digital Services Act — but does Brussels have the resolve to keep Big Tech in check?

Further reading: The Mediterranean diet is a lie, by Alessandro Ford.

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Diplomatic credentials? Optional. Deep pockets and loyalty to Trump? Essential.

As Donald Trump rolls out his picks for U.S. ambassador posts in Europe — think fast-food executives, Broadway producers, billionaire donors and family insiders — one thing is clear: this isn’t traditional statecraft.

Take Andrew Puzder, the former fast-food CEO and future U.S. ambassador to the EU (pending Senate confirmation). Like many of Trump’s nominees, he has no diplomatic experience but only strong political and business ties.

Of course, Trump isn’t the first president to favor political appointees over career diplomats — Democrats do it too. But is this just business as usual, or does Trump’s selection signal a deeper shift in U.S. foreign policy?

Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Ivo Daalder, former U.S. ambassador to NATO; Suzanne Lynch, author of POLITICO’s Global Playbook; and POLITICO's labor reporter based in Washington, D.C., Nick Niedzwiadek, to break it all down. Will economic interests take precedence over diplomacy? Will these new ambassadors help maintain transatlantic ties — or, as Daalder puts it, will they be forces of destruction?

For more insights from Ivo Daalder, check out his podcast, World Review with Ivo Daalder. Listen here.

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As Donald Trump settles back into the White House, all eyes—even in snowy Davos—are on Washington. Host Sarah Wheaton reports from the World Economic Forum, joined by Josh Lipsky, Senior Director at the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center, and MEP Eva Maydell, to discuss Europe’s weakening relevance amid tariff threats, tech battles, and shifting power dynamics.

Plus, a special Davos update from our sister podcast Power Play— host Anne McElvoy shares a secret fondue tip and reflects on the Davos vibe after producing daily episodes featuring, among others, historian Niall Ferguson and former Trump insider Anthony Scaramucci.

You can listen to Power Play here.

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