POLITICO's EU Confidential POLITICO Europe

This week's episode comes to you from the second meeting of the European Political Community in the Moldovan capital of Chișinău. 
With over 40 heads of state and government invited to attend, host Suzanne Lynch discusses what's at stake for the European continent with senior France Correspondent Clea Caulcutt. We dive into the prospects for countries like Moldova and Ukraine to join the EU, as well as other issues that have bubbled up in recent days, including clashes in North Kosovo. On that issue, we hear exclusively from Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who spoke to POLITICO's Chief Europe Correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig and senior reporter Lili Bayer on the sidelines of the GLOBSEC conference in Bratislava.
Suzanne also speaks with Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu, as well as Iulian Groza, the head of a Moldovan think tank called the Institute for European Policies and Reforms. We also hear from other EU leaders attending the EPC meeting, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

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This week, we debate the EU's latest attempt to combat foreign influence with its forthcoming "Defence of Democracy package," which some in Brussels claim could result in unintended consequences.
POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch speaks to the European Commission’s special adviser on foreign interference, Ivana Karásková, a Czech academic and expert on Chinese influence. She provides insight into the degree of foreign influence in the European Union. She also explains the rationale behind a specific piece of this package, which is causing concern, particularly among NGOs: potential rules that would subject civil society organizations to report if they receive funding from third-country donors.
Then we're joined by Sarah Wheaton, POLITICO's chief policy correspondent and author of our EU Influence newsletter, and Nicholas Aiossa, deputy director and head of policy and advocacy at Transparency International EU. They dig into the concerns that this package will have unintended consequences for European democracy — and discuss what better tools the Commission could consider with an eye on better transparency in EU advocacy and lobbying.

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This week, we dive into the political upheaval in Bulgaria and the resignation of the country's EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel. And we begin our spotlight series on the European Parliament, as the dates for elections next year are finalized.
Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by Christian Oliver, POLITICO's head of news, and Antoaneta Roussi, our cybersecurity reporter and Bulgaria expert. They reveal how Bulgaria’s mafia state is reaching its breaking point and why these rapid political changes have resulted in the resignation of Gabriel — who's been tapped to form a coalition government back home. But what kind of reputation does she leave behind in Brussels? We answer that question and explain what's next for Ursula von der Leyen's Commission.
And in the week when the dates of the next European parliamentary election have been set for June 6 to June 9, our colleague Souwie Buis introduces us to two of its newest members, Damian Boeselager and Kim van Sparrentak. They give us the inside scoop on how they became MEPs and the surprising things they've learned on the job, as well as how the Parliament could be reformed ahead of the next election. POLITICO's politics reporter covering the Parliament Eddy Wax also joins the discussion.

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This week, the focus is on Turkey and what's at stake in elections happening May 14. We also hear from British writer and scholar Hugh Pope, who has written extensively on modern Turkey and tackles the long-standing issue of EU accession.
Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's Head of News Christian Oliver and Turkish journalist Elçin Poyrazlar. They discuss tensions on the ground as election day approaches and the possible fall-out should incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan lose. The panel also considers the growing cost of living crisis in Turkey and opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's chances of holding together a shaky alliance in the event of victory.
British writer and scholar Hugh Pope provides us with historical context to EU-Turkey relations, especially when it comes to the long-contested issue of joining the bloc. He explains why the idea of Turkey joining the EU might never come to pass.
Finally, this week marked Europe Day commemorating the Schuman Declaration of 1950 and we ask the significance of Robert Schuman in our decoding Brussels segment. 

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As the EU defense industry gets the green light to ramp up ammunitions production, we hear from former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe Ben Hodges on why Crimea holds the key to a Ukrainian victory. We also ask why Giorgia Meloni's far-right government in Italy is struggling to spend EU recovery funds in time — yes, you read that right, and find out what European diplomats think of Netflix series “The Diplomat.”
This week our host, Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's Senior EU Reporter Jacopo Barigazzi to take stock of Meloni's first six months in office — including her surprisingly pragmatic relationship with Brussels and her struggles to provide concrete spending plans for the billions of euros of EU recovery funds ear-marked for Italy.
Our Editor at Large Nick Vinocur reviews the new Netflix series, “The Diplomat,” and shares how it’s landing with diplomats in Brussels and how it stacks up against their own experience.
POLITICO's Senior Policy Reporter Joshua Posaner speaks with former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe Ben Hodges in Berlin about why Ukraine will never be safe so long as Russia occupies Crimea, and Europe's surprising lack of infrastructure for transporting military equipment to Ukraine.
And finally, Jacopo returns to decode this week's Brussels jargon: COREPER.

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"We have created the best Europe there has ever been" — so says Timothy Garton Ash, this week's special guest. Meanwhile, former vice president of the European Parliament, Eva Kaili, is fighting more criminal allegations, this time for a kickback scheme involving four of her former assistants and approximately €100,000.
Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's politics reporter, Eddy Wax, who has been following the saga of Greek MEP Kaili since her arrest late last year in the Qatargate scandal. Now, under house arrest, Kaili faces renewed scrutiny as further evidence of her involvement in three potentially fraudulent activities has come to light in documents obtained by POLITICO earlier this week. Her lawyers deny all wrong-doing on her behalf and are fighting to maintain the parliamentary immunity she currently enjoys.
If you're wondering what exactly this immunity entails, listen for this week's EU jargon-busting blast!
British historian Timothy Garton Ash talks to us about his new book, "Homelands: A Personal History of Europe," which "isn't a book about Brussels or the EU" but does grapple with vital questions like how Europe's past will shape its future. Garton Ash believes Germany and the war in Ukraine hold the key to this future. He also weighs up the chances of Britain's return to the EU.  

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