The Eurofile

By Center for Strategic and International StudiesNews

The Eurofile episodes

October 05 Hybrid Attacks and Political Whiplash: Germany, Greenland, and Burnham's EU Push
Max and Otto discuss Andy Burnham’s push to improve UK relations with the EU, the new deal signed by the U.S., Denmark and Greenland, and warnings of escalating Russian hybrid attacks in Europe. Then, Max is joined by Jeremy Cliffe, editorial director and senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, to make sense of the current political situation in Germany – AfD victories in regional elections, the strain on mainstream parties and Merz’s leadership crisis.
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Check out our sister podcast, Russian Roulette.
1 hr
September 17The (Associate) European Union and a Transatlantic Tech Update
Max is joined by Lexi Linafelter to discuss key takeaways from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union address (September 16, 2026). Then he turns to a conversation with Emily Benson for an update on the state of transatlantic technology relations — exploring Europe's AI ambitions, digital sovereignty concerns, regulatory friction with U.S. tech giants, and more.
Guest:
Emily Benson | head of strategy, Minerva Technology Futures; senior associate (non-resident), Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program, CSIS
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Check out our sister podcast, Russian Roulette.
44 min
September 04Brussels is Back: the EU's Autumn Agenda with Henry Foy
Max sits down with Otto Svendsen, associate fellow with the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia program, to discuss the week's biggest transatlantic stories: Iceland's vote on reopening EU accession talks, the fallout from Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby's visit to NATO headquarters (including a reported loyalty questionnaire for allies), and European reactions to CIA Director John Ratcliffe's surprise trip to Moscow. Plus, a conversation with Henry Foy, Brussels Bureau Chief at the Financial Times, to map out the EU's packed fall agenda.

Mentioned:
Europe Express | Newsletter by Henry Foy, Financial Times
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Check out our sister podcast, Russian Roulette.
41 min
August 21France's Far Right, Burnham's New Britain, and Europe’s Autumn Agenda
As European summer winds down, The Eurofile is back with a packed agenda. Max sits down with Mujtaba Rahman, Managing Director for Europe at the Eurasia Group, to discuss shifting dynamics in France’s far-right, with Marine Le Pen poised to return to the presidential ballot. They discuss the UK's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who’s kicked off an ambitious domestic agenda amid a tricky foreign policy landscape, and what’s on the EU’s fall agenda.

Mentioned:
How France Falls to the Far Right: The Growing Odds and Seismic Consequences of a Le Pen–Bardella Victory by Mujtaba Rahman, Foreign Affairs
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Check out our sister podcast, Russian Roulette.
31 min
July 30Germany's China Problem: What Can Europe Do About It?
Max sits down with Sander Tordoir, Chief Economist at the Centre for European Reform and Senior Associate (Non-resident) with the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program to discuss his latest report: China shock 2.0: The cost of Germany's complacency – which argues that surging Chinese exports are hurting Germany's auto and machinery sectors and threatening Europe's economic model. They dig into whether Brussels has the tools and political will to push back on Beijing, and how one October deadline could force the bloc to confront these issues head-on.
Mentioned:
China Shock 2.0: The Cost of Germany's Complacency by Sander Tordoir and Brad Setser
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Check out our sister podcast, Russian Roulette.
40 min
July 27Burnham Takes the Wheel in Westminster, Le Pen Is on the Ballot Again, and Max Reflects on Budapest
Max sits down with guest-host Lexi Linafelter, Program Coordinator and Research Assistant with the CSIS Europe, Russia and Eurasia program to discuss Max's recent trip to Budapest and new leadership across the Atlantic. They discuss key takeaways from the NATO Summit in Ankara, old challenges facing new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham in British politics, and Marine Le Pen's announcement launching her fourth campaign for the presidency in France.

Mentioned:
The Eurofile LIVE: German Rearmament and Reflections on NATO's Ankara Summit

The NATO Ankara Summit: Delivery over Drama, Commentary by Jonathan Burchell

Make the Ankara Summit About European Defense Autonomy, Commentary by Max Bergmann and Otto Svendsen

The Magyar revolution: Hungary’s new era, by Ben Hall and Marton Dunai

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If you love The Eurofile, let us know by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts.
Check out our sister podcast, Russian Roulette.
20 min
July 14The Eurofile LIVE: German Rearmament and Reflections on NATO's Ankara Summit
Dr. Liana Fix, a senior fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins Max on The Eurofile for a bonus episode focused on key takeaways from this week's NATO summit in Ankara. They discuss the summit's outcomes and what they reveal about the shifting balance of responsibility between the U.S. and Europe, including a look at Germany's historic rearmament and resulting tensions within Europe. They also examine the implications of the U.S. stepping back faster than Europe can build up, which may make the coming years a particularly dangerous window for Russia to test the alliance.

Mentioned:
Germany Rearmed: The Return of War and the End of Illusions by Liana Fix

Do you have any questions about the EU, NATO, or the latest news in European politics? Please share them with us!
X: @csiserep
Bluesky: @erep.csis.org
Feedback? Suggestions? Ideas to help us improve? Email us at [email protected].
If you love The Eurofile, let us know by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts.
Check out our sister podcast, Russian Roulette.
54 min
July 02 Europe Will Survive; But Will It Prosper? feat. David Marsh
Max sits down with David Marsh, co-founder and chairman of the OMFIF economic research group and former Financial Times Europe editor, to discuss his new book Can Europe Survive? The Story of a Continent in a Fractured World. They discuss how the European project, the Euro, and Brexit have affected transatlantic relations, and what it would mean for Europe to prosper, not just survive, as a global geopolitical actor.

Mentioned:
Can Europe Survive? The Story of a Continent in a Fractured World by David Marsh
Feedback? Suggestions? Ideas to help us improve? Email us at [email protected].
If you love The Eurofile, let us know by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts.
Check out our sister podcast, Russian Roulette.
39 min
June 22 The World Cup Kicks off, a Busy Week in Europe, and Farewell, Donatienne!
Max and Donatienne discuss the World Cup kickoff, the G7 summit, European Council meeting, and the early steps of Hungary's new government under Péter Magyar.
This is Donatienne’s final episode as a co-host of The Eurofile, marking her transition away from CSIS to a new position in Washington. We will miss her dearly and thank her for three incredible years with the team!
Keep up with Donatienne via LinkedIn @Donatienne Ruy, and stay tuned as we begin a new era of The Eurofile.
Please email your feedback to [email protected] with ideas for future guests, structure, and corrections for Max’s mispronunciations of European names. If you love the show, let us know by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Learn more:
Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
29 min
June 1910 Years of Brexit feat. Tom McTague
Max and Donatienne sit down with Tom McTague, Editor in Chief at the New Statesman and author of Between the Waves: The Hidden History of a Very British Revolution 1945–2016, to discuss how the history of EU-UK relations set up this split, the state of British-EU relations today, and what has or has not changed in politics since 2016.
Mentioned:
Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus – by Rick Perlstein

Feedback? Suggestions? Ideas to help us improve? Email us at [email protected]

If you love The Eurofile, let us know by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts.
44 min

About The Eurofile

From the publisher's feed

Hosted by Max Bergmann, director of the Stuart Center and the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at CSIS, “The Eurofile” looks at Europe through a Washington lens. We will discuss, debate,…