College of Europe Podcast (Bruges)

In this episode of CSDP, Léonie Bontoux and Giulio Croce interview Swedish Minister of Defence (and College Alumnus) Pål Jonson.

In this conversation, they discuss the prospective effectiveness of the EU’s defence initiatives, the impact of Sweden’s membership in NATO, NATO’s strategic evolution, the issues of the Narva and Suwa​ki war scenarios, and finally Russian hybrid warfare and European resilience.

This podcast was recorded on the 11th of May 2026 and is produced by students at the College of Europe. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the College of Europe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the fourth and final episode of the Young Diplomats Society Podcast Series of Victoria Amelina promotion, İrem İlksoy and Leah Tillmann-Morris interview Pavel Slunkin, a Belarusian former diplomat and visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), about Belarus's political trajectory, its relationship with Russia, and the prospects for the country's democratic opposition and exile community. Pavel shares his experience in Belarusian foreign ministry and his resignation from the MFA in 2020, EU's role in supporting Belarusians in exile, how the war in Ukraine has reshaped Belarus's position between Moscow and the West, and the growing role of AI in government decision-making processes.

This podcast episode was recorded and produced by students at the College of Europe. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the College of Europe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Young Diplomats' Society podcast, İrem İlksoy and Leah Tillmann-Morris are joined by Charles-Michel Geurts, former EEAS diplomat and EU ambassador to Ecuador, and current professor at the College of Europe. We begin with insights into how the internal work of EEAS compares to working abroad, and the strength that can be found in coordinating EU member states as a diplomatic force, as well as the journey of EU human rights diplomacy. Prof. Geurts also shares his experiences and reflections as ambassador to Ecuador from 2020-2024, particularly on efforts to combat the illegal cocaine trade and transnational organised crime, including drawing on European law-enforcement experience in tackling the Italian mafia to support responses to Ecuadorian drug gangs, while also navigating the tensions that can arise when EU diplomats engage with differing approaches to military involvement in law enforcement.

This podcast episode is recorded and produced by students at the College of Europe. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the College of Europe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of CSDP, Léonie Bontoux and Giulio Croce interview Philippe Perchoc, Director of the IRSEM Europe (the Research Institute of the French Ministry of Armed Forces).

In this conversation, they discuss European interoperability, the evolution of the French nuclear doctrine following President Macron’s speech at Ile Longue on the 2nd of March 2026, how Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are countering Russian hybrid warfare, and the implementation of artificial intelligence in the field of security and defence.

This podcast was recorded on the 7th of March 2026 and is produced by students at the College of Europe. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the College of Europe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of CSDP, Giulio Croce interviews Teresa Coratella, Deputy Head of the European Council on Foreign Relations in Rome.

In this conversation, they discuss Foreign Information Manipulation Interference (FIMI) and cognitive warfare, coming both from Russia and China and from the United States. FIMI is the frontier of hybrid warfare, with the ability to exploit the openness of democratic societies and manipulate public opinion. To be fit for the future, the EU and its Member States need to find a way to shield democratic processes from information manipulation.

This podcast was recorded on the 10th of February 2026 and is produced by students of the College of Europe. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the College of Europe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.