EU Confidential

• Europe’s future, brought to you by Putin and Trump

  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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• How political is your pizza? The Mediterranean Diet and Europe's food battles

  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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Your guide to Trump’s Europe envoys

  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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• In Trump's new era: does Europe still matter?

  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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Who’s in charge? What von der Leyen’s absence reveals about the EU

  While the president of the European Commission was secretly in the hospital, the next president of the United States was musing about invading Greenland. Ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration, EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton was joined by POLITICO editor-at-large Nicholas Vinocur, defense reporter Laura Kayali and trade reporter Koen Verhelst to analyze why Europe seems to be paralyzed in the face of looming trade wars, Arctic gamesmanship and the rise of populists in countries around the bloc.  Further reading: Trump’s invasion of Greenland would be ‘the shortest war in the world’, by Laura Kayali and Hanne Cokelaere Grabbing Greenland would be a bad deal for Trump, by Koen Verhelst and Jakob Weizman Austria’s Kickl brings Europe’s anti-populist firewall crashing down, by Nicholas Vinocur, Nette Nöstlinger, Oliver Noyan and Max Griera Don’t freak out: Austria tries to reassure Brussels amid far right’s bid for power, by Nicholas Vinocur and Elena Giordano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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