Brussels Playbook Podcast

South Korea’s president is in Brussels for the first EU-South Korea summit in three years — a visit that starts with K-pop diplomacy but quickly moves to chips, trade, defense and China.

Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart look at why Seoul has become such an important partner for Europe and why South Korea’s role in Europe’s rearmament push is also politically awkward.

The due also discuss Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tightening her grip on another strategic file: defense. We unpack how the EU’s new Security Strategy is being shaped inside the Berlaymont, why the diplomatic service is being pushed to the margins and why capitals are watching closely.

And finally: With the World Cup about to kick off, Brussels has its own football drama. The European Parliament’s annual football cup has produced coalition teams, fair-play penalties and now a handshake row between the Greens and the ECR.

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The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, heads to Dublin today with awkward questions for Ireland.

The country is facing increased scrutiny over the fact that a Russian-owned refinery on Irish soil continues exporting alumina to Russia — a raw material that can feed Moscow’s industrial and military supply chains. The timing is especially awkward since Dublin is preparing to take over the EU’s rotating Council presidency.

Also on the show, smart glasses are moving from sci-fi gadget to Brussels privacy headache. Are Europe’s rules ready for cameras people can wear on their faces?

And finally: A festival to celebrate the Commission’s New European Bauhaus initiative kicks off today. We explain what inflatable heads have to do with it.

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The EU is struggling to land a new deal on consumer protections for airline passengers.

After a week of intense negotiations that ultimately failed, transport ministers are meeting today to discuss the current state of play. The main sticking points: rules on compensation for delayed flights and the ease of filing these compensation claims.

Also on the show, the far-right National Rally is leading the polls for France’s presidential election next year. But in relation to the EU, would this traditionally euroskeptic party end up following a pragmatic route like Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, or a more obstructionist stance in line with former Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán? Nick and Zoya discuss.

And finally: The ‘flamingo revolution’ has come to Brussels — both in terms of protesters on the streets and responses from the Commission. We discuss how these protests have turned from anger over real estate mogul Jared Kushner’s plans to build a luxury resort on the habitat of flamingos to something deeper.

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The European Commission has finally unveiled its long-awaited tech sovereignty package — a push to make Europe less dependent on foreign technology after years of relying on U.S. cloud services, chips, AI infrastructure and digital tools.

Sarah Wheaton is joined by former MEP Marietje Schaake, author of The Tech Coup and POLITICO’s Laurens Cerulus to ask what happens when the systems running Europe’s schools, ministries, banks, businesses and security are controlled elsewhere. They also discuss whether Brussels can build real alternatives or simply learn to manage its dependence better.

If you have questions or comments — or if you’ve tried switching from U.S. tech to European alternatives — send us a message. Or even better, send us a voice note on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.
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With a slowing economy, soaring energy costs and mounting pressure on defense spending, PM Giorgia Meloni faces an uphill battle in next year’s Italian election.

Amid all this, Zoya and Ian discuss how a recent European Commission decision to exempt certain green investments from its public-spending rules is a small win for the Italian leader. They dig deeper into the thought process behind this move from the EU executive.

Also on the show, we break down some of the recent developments as Brussels tightens the screws on Moscow. One of the updates is that ministers from 11 countries are calling for restrictions on the number of EU tourist visas issued to Russian nationals.

And finally: What on earth is a Spritz Misto? We uncover the mystery of a cocktail that has Brussels scratching its head — and an MEP up in arms.

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