The Democrats scored a resounding victory in this week’s U.S. midterm elections. But will their triumph actually change anything for Europe?

With the balance of power shifting in Congress, could the incoming lawmakers move the needle on issues Europe cares about, from tariffs to support for Ukraine? And what do MAGA’s bruising losses mean for Europe’s own nationalist and populist parties? Are they a warning for Europe’s far right? Or could the very issues that battered Republicans — affordability and the cost of living — end up propelling Europe’s far right into power?

Joining host Sarah Wheaton to discuss this is POLITICO Europe’s Executive Editor Carrie Budoff Brown, who also led our U.S. newsroom during Donald Trump’s first term. We’ll also speak with Gregor Schwung, a reporter at WELT currently on the ground in Washington, D.C., and POLITICO’s Foreign Affairs columnist Jamie Dettmer. 

Questions? Comments? Let us know on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.

TALLINN — Europe shouldn’t open a diplomatic channel to Russian President Vladimir Putin, warned the leader of one of the continent’s most exposed nations.

“Europe should not be in a mediator’s position,” Estonia’s Prime Minister Kristen Michal told POLITICO in an interview this week. “You should not take the role of trying to please the dictator.”

European leaders have long feared the U.S. administration under President Donald Trump may pursue a Russia–Ukraine peace deal on terms that sideline Europe and disadvantage Kyiv. The most recent talks between Washington and Moscow have reignited debate in Brussels and national capitals about the need for Europe to have its own direct line to the Kremlin. Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a 90-minute call with Putin in late October.

The Estonian premier — whose country of 1.3 million people borders Russia and has been subject to Moscow’s persistent attempts to stoke internal unrest — warned against the idea of direct talks, saying it would weaken Europe’s position with Putin.

“For once, Europe has a plan which is actually working” by suffocating Russia economically with sanctions, Michal said. Being a mediator means “you are willing to lower the standards, for example, for Russia,” including when it comes to imposing and enforcing punitive sanctions, he said.

“You cannot [have] two roles. One role is backing up Ukraine and pressuring Russia. A second one is trying to have a form of mediation,” the Estonian leader said.

“Putin should understand that Europe is strong, keeping together and we have one voice,” he added.

U.S. officials will sit down with Ukrainian and Russian representatives next week. The talks, which will be the first face-to-face negotiations since February, will be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said Monday.

The Estonian leader said Europeans “appreciate” the Trump administration’s attempts to broker a peace deal, “but the pressure should be very much on Russia,” he said. “The problem [is] sitting in [the] Kremlin. Nowhere else.”

With Trump’s Republican Party in crisis after a major loss in the U.S. midterm elections Tuesday, Europe is closely watching how the shift of power in the U.S. Congress will influence the president’s position on Ukraine.

“Elections have consequence. So this is a good thing in democracy, that you have checks and balances,” Michal said about the election outcome.

He added the electoral shift could move Washington further “to the better side, more value-based side. And when [the] U.S. is more value-based … that probably is a good message to Ukraine and to Europe.”

To heap pressure on Russia, Estonia has spearheaded a push — together with Poland and Sweden — to toughen up visa rules for Russians, including former fighters who fought on the battlefields in Ukraine. Tallinn has proposed an outright ban on allowing ex-soldiers from Russia’s armed forces access to the EU at large.

Officials believe the tourist visas allow Russian operatives easy access into the bloc to conduct so-called hybrid warfare campaigns — from flying drones over sensitive security sites to sabotage of infrastructure.

EU officials told POLITICO last month the European Commission is planning to put forward proposals in the new year.

Michal said Europe had no time to waste as hybrid attacks keep disrupting services. “You should not have these kind of people running around Europe. So limit the visas,” he said.

ROME — The EU is giving the impression of being “all over the place” when it comes to Ukraine, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told European Council President António Costa.

In a letter seen by POLITICO, Meloni said that discussing how the EU can speak with one voice on Ukraine should be added to the agenda of an informal leaders’ meeting in Dublin next week, adding that the issue “can no longer be postponed.”

Meloni pointed out the various formats that have been used to discuss Ukraine, including meetings in Miami and Oslo, and upcoming talks scheduled by the Coalition of the Willing and the European Political Community, plus the phone call that Finland’s Alexander Stubb and Norway’s Jonas Gahr Støre made to Russia’s Vladimir Putin. She said the multiple forums were “undermining our credibility in handling one of the most complicated issues our nations are facing.”

While the EU has repeatedly insisted it gets a “seat at the table” at Ukraine peace talks, to safeguard the region’s interests and bolster Kyiv’s ability to resist a lopsided deal, the bloc has yet to agree on a single leader or institution to spearhead negotiations.

“I’m convinced that we all realize how, by projecting the image of a Europe that’s all over the place, we’re doing nothing but serving the interests of those who want this war to continue,” the Italian prime minister wrote. “And I think this is unacceptable, given that human lives and the future of our security are at stake.”

“Proceeding in a disorganized manner, with initiatives that chase one another and overlap, will not help us — neither with our partners nor with those we must convince to stop this senseless aggression,” she added.

“I am not asking for a seat for Italy in this or that format,” she said.

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski told POLITICO he agrees with Meloni. “We need to have a legitimate representation of Europe in the process because we pay for this war.” 

Eastern Europe and Scandinavia also need to be part of the conversation, he said, adding his preferred format would be to stick to Treaty of Lisbon — which laid out a unified foreign policy — plus possibly the U.K.

Writing in response to Meloni on Thursday evening, Costa thanked the Italian premier for setting out her concerns “so clearly” and said he agreed “Europe needs to act with coherence, unity and determination.”

“The European Union’s participation must be organised in a manner that enables it to convey a clear and unified message,” he wrote. “Indeed, the European Union’s interests need to be represented by its institutions, in accordance with the Treaties. As you know, I have raised this issue on several previous occasions in our discussions between Leaders.”

EU leaders meet in Dublin for an informal European Council on Nov. 13. A meeting of the European Political Community, which involves all EU states plus Ukraine and other allies, takes place the day before.

As the format for talks increasingly coalesces around the E3 — the U.K., France and Germany — alongside the EU, NATO and Ukraine, Italy has found itself sidelined.

Rome was excluded from meetings in Miami in October and Brussels this week, although it did take part in talks in Oslo at the invitation of the Norwegian government. An Italian national security adviser attended a working dinner there, but Italy’s participation came in place of France, rather than as an additional seat at the table.

Over the past year, Italy has emerged as the EU’s most vocal and persistent advocate for appointing a special envoy for Russia-Ukraine peace talks. Meloni first publicly floated the proposal in January, arguing that the bloc needed to “speak with one voice” and engage directly with Moscow.

While other countries, including France, Austria, Czechia and Luxembourg, have also expressed support for the idea, Rome has led the push, with Italian officials repeatedly raising it on the sidelines of EU summits and in discussions among EU ambassadors preparing leaders’ meetings.

Ahead of the latest EU summit in October, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani seized an opportunity during an exchange with reporters at a European People’s Party pre-summit gathering to renew the call for a special envoy.

Asked whether Costa himself should take on the role, Tajani praised him but insisted that the priority was for Europe to have “a spokesperson who can negotiate” and articulate a “univocal position,” warning that otherwise EU foreign policy would appear weak.

Nick Vinocur, Gerardo Fortuna, Zoya Sheftalovich and Elena Giordano contributed reporting. This article has been updated with a response from António Costa.

The United Kingdom should be given the option to rejoin the European Union without adopting the single currency or joining the passport-free travel zone, the bloc’s former chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said Thursday.

“The door is open,” said Barnier, who now serves as a French lawmaker, at POLITICO’s European Pulse Seminar. “If the British sovereignly choose to seek closer ties with [the EU], I don’t believe we can make it mandatory for them to adopt the euro, abandon the pound or rejoin Schengen.”

POLITICO reported last month that Brussels would be flexible on letting Britain stay out of the euro and the Schengen area if it ever applied to rejoin the EU. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he wants to eventually see the U.K. rejoin, even suggesting the proposal could make it into Labour’s next election manifesto.

Burnham has said that options could include membership of the single market or customs union, but also rejoining wholesale.

Barnier, however, said there can be “no cherry-picking” when it comes to joining the single market — a line he often used as Brexit negotiator.

Barnier, who spent roughly three months as French prime minister in 2024 before falling to a vote of no confidence in parliament, also weighed in on next year’s presidential election in his home country. He called the current atmosphere in French politics “pre-insurrectionary” and said he regrets that two radical candidates who want to fundamentally reshape the EU, Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, are leading in the polls.

Though Le Pen has dropped her previous calls for France to leave the EU, Barnier said the far-right candidate’s public comments point “clearly towards the end of the European project as we have been building it for the past 40 years.”

He also insisted that Le Pen should not be compared to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — whom Barnier described as “pragmatic” and “pro-business” — despite the ideological proximity between the two nationalists on some points.

Barnier added that Le Pen’s platform, “in some respects, is not very different from the economic platform of Mr. Mélenchon, who is on the far left.”

Jon Stone contributed to reporting.

Artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping Europe’s job market. The Commission is hoping to do something about that.

Today on the show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton discuss the unveiling of Commissioner Roxana Mînzatu’s Education and Skills Package. In it, the EU executive sets out plans to boost vocational education and training for jobs that require physical presence and manual expertise — jobs that AI won’t be as likely to snap up in the future.

Next, the culprit behind this week’s cyberattack on supermarket freezers across Europe remains a mystery. But we explain why cybersecurity experts are looking toward Moscow.

Finally, some MEPs have AI doing their homework — and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola is not happy about it.

Are you a young person nervous about your future job prospects? What is your game plan when it comes to finding a job in the age of AI? Let us know on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

• Supermarket Chain Thaw Massacre: Russia suspected in Europe’s fridge attacks.
• Fridge hacks also hit French blood banks.
• Metsola tells MEPs not to rely on AI when drafting laws.
  

Overnight, the Democratic party has won the U.S. Senate and made decisive gains in the House. But this might not necessarily be good news for Europe.

On this special episode, Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by Sarah Wheaton in Brussels and our Global Politics Bureau Chief Jack Blanchard, who is ringing in from Washington. Jack will give us a picture of election night and the “generational changing of the guard” as he describes it, which has seen big wins for Democrats across the country.

But could this blue wave actually mean Donald Trump — more curtailed at home — turns his attention instead to Europe? And in that case, could we see transatlantic relations sour further in the next two years? We dive deeper into all these questions and more.

Do you have any thoughts or questions on these initial results from the U.S. midterm elections? Contact us on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

• Allies fear Trump will target NATO in case of midterm loss.
• OPINION: Why Europe shouldn’t celebrate a Democratic midterm victory.
• 5 things Europe needs to monitor as Democrats blitz Trump in US midterms.
• Our U.S. midterm election live blog.

Poland’s long-simmering rule-of-law issue reached boiling point this weekend. So, what now?

On today’s show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Kathryn Carlson unpack Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s efforts to undo judicial appointments made under the previous right-wing Law and Justice government. Tusk’s administration argues that removing these PiS-era appointees is essential to bringing Poland back into line with EU rule-of-law standards. But after this weekend’s turmoil, could the push backfire? And what could it mean for Tusk’s support ahead of next year’s elections?

Then, on to a crisis closer to home: Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever offered his resignation to King Philippe Monday morning, after failing to reach a budget agreement for 2027. Does that mean the government will collapse? Zoya and Katie go through what happens next.

And finally, RFK Jr.’s Make American Healthy Again campaign is coming to Brussels … at least when it comes to ultra-processed foods.

What are your thoughts on unhealthy, processed snacks and junk food? How should the bloc tackle them? Write in and let us know: You’ll find us on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

• Crisis over top court shapes Poland’s battle lines before 2027 election.
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s food fight is coming to Brussels.
• King mulls De Wever’s resignation as Belgian budget talks fail.

The jet lag has barely worn off, but Brussels is already grappling with what its new relationship with Canada could actually look like.

After the 48-hour whirlwind EU-Canada summit in Montreal, Prime Minister Mark Carney has given the EU six months to hash out what “associate membership” actually means. On the show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur unpack the deals struck at the summit and what lies ahead for the relations between the two powers.

Next, after last month’s unwieldy European Council summit drew criticism of its president, Antonio Costa, he’s doubling down on his push to secure a budget by 2027. This week, his head of cabinet Pedro Lourtie will be holding so-called “confessionals” with national governments to get a sense of where they stand.

And finally, Europe’s coffin makers are afraid Chinese competitors could be the death of their business.

Questions, comments? Please write in! Find us on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

• EU and Canada’s 6-month test of commitment.
• 8 things we learned at the EU-Canada summit.
• Europe’s coffin-makers warn Chinese imports could be death knell for industry.

In this special edition, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney sits down with POLITICO’s chief EU correspondent Zoya and Ottawa bureau chief Nick Taylor-Vaisey for an exclusive interview.

With Canada and the European Union exploring a much closer partnership, Carney discusses his vision for Canada’s place in a changing world, the future of transatlantic relations and what it would take to build a lasting alliance with Europe. And with Donald Trump reshaping relations between traditional allies, how far is Canada prepared to go in charting a new course?

If you have a question or comment, don’t hesitate! Message us on our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.

America is heading to the polls for the midterm elections — and Europe is watching closely. With the outcome set to have consequences far beyond Washington, from trade to defense, we’re bringing you a special episode of The Conversation, hosted by POLITICO’s Dasha Burns.

Dasha sits down with two political strategists working behind the scenes in some of America’s most consequential races: Republican T.W. Arrighi and Democrat Lis Smith. They take stock of the race, reveal what goes into running a high-stakes campaign and explore what’s shaping the battle for American voters.

If you have a question or comment, don’t hesitate! Message us on our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.

MONTREAL — There’s one thing the European Union and Canada want to avoid with their new alliance: stoking new fury from Washington and Beijing.

Officials have been under pressure to check off everything they said they would do at the last summit and on Friday will unveil the areas they plan to focus on over the next year, as they intensify their transatlantic cooperation. But don’t expect a parade of new deals.

“Canada has objectives where they need our technology — so you can build a beautiful relationship if you focus on it,” one senior EU official told POLITICO about shared challenges in diversifying away from the U.S. and China. The official was granted anonymity to speak candidly about sensitive diplomatic negotiations between Brussels and Ottawa.

One of the core EU interests in Canada, the official explained, is a chance for the bloc to diversify its supply of critical raw materials and sources of energy to further reduce its dependence on China and Russia, respectively.

“They have most of what we need,” the official said about Canadian minerals. “There’s also a huge opportunity to bring Canadian fossil fuels and gas to the EU.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney dismissed the controversy over whether the EU should label the relationship with Canada as an “associate membership,” saying on Thursday it was a sideshow to what’s been billed as a landmark summit.

Earlier this week, Germany, France, Greece and other countries opposed the definition in a joint EU-Canada statement to be issued in Montreal. That came after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen put forward the “associate membership” label in September. 

But Carney told reporters on Thursday that the new alliance wasn’t “a marketing exercise” and that the name doesn’t matter. “What matters is that the complementarities of our two jurisdictions strengthen our sovereignty, strengthen Europe’s sovereignty, various strategic autonomies, critical minerals, energy, other aspects — AI,” he said.

A tricky political road lies ahead as Carney and von der Leyen make moves to draw the EU and Canada closer in a partnership that doesn’t include its southern neighbor. They’ll need to tiptoe forward with an “association without accession” work plan in the last years of the U.S. President Donald Trump’s time in office. 

Diplomatic balance

Montreal’s historic Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth hotel was a hub of summit activity on Thursday, beginning with a morning spectacle of von der Leyen heading out of the hotel in runners, taking staff out for a walking meeting. EU commissioners and Canadian Cabinet ministers sailed in and out of the hotel’s perfumed lobby, greeting colleagues. 

Jet-lagged Europeans, along with Canadian officials and lobbyists, commiserated over what they saw as poor summit organization, spread across multiple locations.

The debate over membership semantics became a luncheon laugh line when European Council President António Costa endorsed Von der Leyen’s offer to Canada before joking the final designation is “subject to revision”

Then, between servings of frisée salad and roast salmon, Costa struck a diplomatic balance.

“Tomorrow, the European Union and Canada will launch an alliance for the future of Europe,” he said, invoking German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s preferred label and a term Carney has also used to describe the relationship. But Costa also backed von der Leyen’s “ambition” of Canada as an “associate member” of the EU, admitting the term might not matter in the end.

By mid-afternoon, Carney seemed to come around to the term, recognizing the work underway to deepen relations as “an alliance for the future, with Canada as an associate member, between Canada and the European Union.”

The two sides are expected to announce a wrap on talks on a new digital trade agreement on Friday, ending negotiations that were launched in the spring. Other anticipated outcomes include an agreement between the European Investment Bank and Canada, geared to allow the bloc to fund Canadian critical minerals projects. 

Eleven EU commissioners in town to “further an agenda” is no small accomplishment, Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne told reporters. “It’s a historic moment that we need to seize.”

AI and energy companies are expected to be major beneficiaries of an enhanced EU–Canada relationship, making the absences of European Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen and Canadian Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson noteworthy.

Zoya Sheftalovich contributed to this report from Montreal.

European leaders are descending on Montreal in a bid to forge closer ties with Canada.

On today’s show, host Zoya Sheftalovich catches up with Sarah Wheaton, who’s on the ground at the EU-Canada summit. They unpack what the talks could actually deliver — from defense and critical raw materials to space and AI — and the Trump-shaped shadow hanging over it all.

Next, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen may be here in Montreal, but back in Brussels, questions remain about her role in the EU’s Covid vaccine deal with Pfizer.

Finally: Eurovision has revealed its 2027 lineup — but the row over Israel’s participation is far from over.

Questions, comments? Please write in! Find us on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

• Our EU-Canada summit live blog.
• ⁠EU and Canada eye golden window to Trump-proof their ties.
• Eurovision confirms candidates for 2027 — but 2 EU countries are still on the fence.
• EU Public Prosecutor’s Office will be ‘killed softly for doing its job,’ says outgoing chief.

Europe’s united front on Ukraine is showing cracks. Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre have opened a direct line to Vladimir Putin, drawing criticism from some fellow European leaders — even as Ukraine backs their efforts. Nicholas Vinocur and Paul Dallison examine the fallout and the growing scramble over who gets to speak for Europe in peace talks.

Also on the pod: Brussels unveils a sweeping overhaul of Frontex, giving the EU border agency a much bigger role in deportations, new powers to monitor social media and plans for a major expansion.

And after a summer of devastating heatwaves and wildfires, the European Commission wants governments to prepare for a world that’s three degrees hotter than preindustrial levels.

Finally, you can see the ghostly turnip that freaked Nick out here. And if you have someone spooky in mind for Paul’s story on the figures haunting the EU bubble, please write in! Find us on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

• Leaders of Finland and Norway hold direct talks with Putin.
• EU prepares for a grim future with new climate-proofing law.
• Frontex gets power to track migration talk on social media.
• ⁠Frontex set for new powers to deport beyond EU borders in latest overhaul.⁠
• This summer’s heat was Europe’s deadliest on record, scientists say.

Ursula von der Leyen’s plan to slim down and reorganize the European Commission moves a step closer, with outside advisers calling for a stronger center, fewer bureaucratic silos and potentially far-reaching changes to some of Brussels’ most powerful departments.

Then, after Aleksandar Vučić’s defeat in Serbia, Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur ask whether a new government can revive the country’s stalled EU path — and whether Brussels has some lessons to learn.

Plus, tobacco lobbying in the European Parliament has surged just as the EU rewrites its smoking and nicotine rules.

Finally, are you on team pumpkin decoration or team pumpkin carving? Nick has strong feelings; let us know yours! Message us on our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

• Von der Leyen’s big Commission shake-up moves a step closer.
• How Big Tobacco lobbies EU lawmakers.
• Belgium postpones terrace smoking ban.

PARIS — Top European defense ministers and EU representatives said Ukraine faces challenging months ahead, insisting they must keep supporting Kyiv despite the U.S. bid for talks with Russia. 

“The new diplomatic push is there, but it’s also clear that Putin’s actions tell a different story,” the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said at a press conference in Paris on Monday. Kallas said she was expecting a “brutal winter” for Kyiv and that there was “no hope for imminent peace,” reiterating the need to help Ukraine “withstand the attacks and increase the cost for Russia.”

Kallas, along with European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius, joined a meeting with defense ministers from the E5 group made up of France, the U.K., Germany, Poland and Italy, hosted at the French armed forces ministry.

The meeting came amid a renewed U.S. effort to push Ukraine into peace talks with Russia and growing doubts about Washington’s support for Kyiv.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said last week he would offer Russia’s Vladimir Putin direct talks with President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy to secure a ceasefire.

“No results whatsoever comes for those who want to negotiate with Putin,” German defense minister Boris Pistoripus said. “The results are what? It doesn’t lead to anything. There is no signal whatsoever that Putin is looking for peace.”

The U.K.’s Wes Streeting added: “While none of us seek confrontation with Russia … We do have to be aware of the threat posed by Russia.” 

While pledging “total transparency” with the U.S., France’s Catherine Vautrin said the E5 members would “work together concretely,” focusing on arms production and interoperability. 

“Produce more, produce faster, produce equipment suited to today’s conflicts – but we must already be planning for the conflicts of tomorrow,” Vautrin said. “On that, EU financial initiatives can help us move in this direction.”

Canada and the EU want a much closer relationship — but they still disagree over what that relationship actually is.

Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur look ahead to this week’s EU-Canada summit in Montreal, where leaders are still negotiating the language, the label and the practical deliverables.

Then, Ukraine’s growing financing needs are colliding with the fight over the EU’s next seven-year budget, as some countries resist taking part in another common loan.

And finally, Brussels’ battle over meat-related names takes an unexpected turn — with bacon-flavoured crisps caught in the crossfire.

If you have a question or comment, don’t hesitate! Message us on our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.

U.S. President Donald Trump has the world’s war crimes court in his crosshairs.

By sanctioning the entire International Criminal Court, his administration is threatening its ability to function. Europe has rushed to the court’s defense — but can it actually protect it from American financial power? And how far is the European Union willing to go to confront Washington when it still relies so heavily on the U.S. for its own security?

Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by European Parliament lawmaker Dirk Gotink and Atlantic Council sanctions expert Lize de Kruijf to discuss Europe’s options, its dependence on the U.S. dollar and American technology and whether the EU can stand up for international justice.

If you have any questions or comments, send us a message on our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.

As the U.S. pushes to revive peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, a question is causing tensions in Brussels: Who actually speaks for the EU?

Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton examine the growing influence of Ursula von der Leyen’s powerful chief of staff, Björn Seibert, and why Finnish President Alexander Stubb may be eyeing a bigger role.

Then, have you ever received a suspicious message from Booking.com? The European Commission has launched an investigation into whether the travel platform is doing enough to protect customers from scams and fraudulent listings.

Finally, Brussels rolls out the diplomatic red carpet for 19 new ambassadors. From Britain and Canada to Ukraine and India, we meet some of the fresh faces arriving on the EU diplomatic scene.

If you have a question or comment, don’t hesitate! Message us on our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

• EU probes Booking.com over scamming concerns
• Witkoff to Putin: ‘You are a humanitarian … I salute that’
• Russia ready for 3-way talks on Ukraine war, Kremlin says
• Talking to Putin: Europe seeks a negotiator-in-chief for Ukraine

Neun Länder drängen in die Europäische Union, doch die Tür ist seit über einem Jahrzehnt verschlossen. Während Friedrich Merz in Montenegro die Beitrittschancen der Länder des Westbalkans auslotet, wäre ein Scheitern des nächsten Beitritts durch Montenegro, vor allem für Russland und China eine Genugtuung. Europa-Experte Hans von der Burchard analysiert, warum das kleine Land an der Adria zum Lackmustest für die Erweiterungspolitik wird und welche bittere Pille die Ukraine womöglich schlucken muss.

In Berlin entbrennt zeitgleich auf der Ministerpräsidentenkonferenz ein harter Verteilungskampf um die Energiekosten. Rasmus Buchsteiner beleuchtet die Milliarden-Forderungen von Hendrik Wüst zur Stromsteuer sowie die teuren Rentenpläne von Markus Söder. Die Konferenz beginnt ausgerechnet am Tag der Steuerschätzung. Die entscheidende Frage lautet: Wie sollen diese politischen Versprechen angesichts riesiger Haushaltslücken dauerhaft finanziert werden?

Antworten auf die angespannte Kassenlage liefert Sebastian Schäfer. Der Chefhaushälter der Grünen-Bundestagsfraktion erklärt im 200-Sekunden-Interview, warum er die Steuersenkungspläne der Union für unrealistisch hält. Stattdessen bringt er einen konkreten Sparvorschlag ins Spiel.

Das Berlin Playbook als Podcast gibt es jeden Morgen ab 5 Uhr. Rixa Fürsen, Maximilian Stascheit und das POLITICO-Team liefern Politik zum Hören – kompakt, international, hintergründig.

Für alle Hauptstadt-Profis: Der Berlin Playbook-Newsletter bietet jeden Morgen die wichtigsten Themen und Einordnungen. Jetzt kostenlos abonnieren.

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Steve Witkoff, the United States’ special envoy, praised Russian ruler Vladimir Putin during face-to-face talks in St. Petersburg, calling him “a humanitarian.”

“You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian. You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that, I commend you, and I thank you again,” Witkoff said Wednesday in a Russian state media video clip posted on social media.

Witkoff’s visit is the latest U.S. attempt to bring Moscow and Kyiv to the negotiation table, four-and-a-half years after the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The American envoy met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Oslo on Tuesday, and is expected to propose trilateral talks between the two leaders and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Russia’s strikes on Kyiv and Kharkiv continued overnight, killing three people, local mayors reported.

Putin’s assault on Ukraine killed 328 civilians in September alone, according to the United Nations, while Kremlin forces bombard energy infrastructure across the country heading into winter.

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin in 2023 over the forced transfer of children to Russia after the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine began.