Caught between wars
Europe is no longer watching the conflict in the Middle East from a distance — it’s directly entangled. Iranian missiles flying over Cyprus. EU leaders divided over messaging. Von der Leyen and Kalla...
3 Mar 15min
Europe's balancing act on Iran
After a weekend of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran — and the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — Brussels is moving to coordinate its diplomatic response. EU ambassadors convened, foreign minist...
2 Mar 16min
Diplomats or disruptors — when Trump’s ambassadors get ‘rude’
Ambassadors are supposed to smooth tensions, not spark them. But in recent weeks some American envoys in Europe – from Belgium to Poland and France — have found themselves at the center of very public...
27 Feb 28min
Inside EU ambassadors' crisis 'bunker'
Brussels is adjusting to a shifting geopolitical landscape. Coreper meetings — the regular gatherings of EU ambassadors — are becoming more frequent and a clear evidence of how the bloc is adapting. ...
26 Feb 15min
Who showed up — and who didn't — for Kyiv's big day
Europe marked four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion with a high-profile show of solidarity in Kyiv on Tuesday. Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa stood alongside Volodymyr Zelenskyy — but ...
25 Feb 14min
Four years of war — and Hungary breaks EU unity
On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European leaders gather in Kyiv to signal unity and solidarity. But back in Brussels, Hungary blocks a new sanctions package again...
24 Feb 15min
Sanctions, tensions — and a birthday at the FAC
EU foreign ministers are gathering in Brussels with one clear goal: to agree on a 20th sanctions package against Russia. But Hungary is threatening to block it — linking its support to a growing energ...
23 Feb 15min
The EU’s envoy to Ukraine on war, resilience — and Nordic walking
An air raid siren sounded as we were wrapping up our interview with the EU’s ambassador in Kyiv. On this week’s EU Confidential, Sarah Wheaton speaks with Katarína Mathernová about what it means to l...
20 Feb 35min
