logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2024
33m 48s

Viktor Orbán's rogue “peace missions” to...

POLITICO
About this episode
Just days into his country's rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán again stunned other European leaders by setting off on a series of visits to Kyiv, Moscow and Beijing, styling himself as a peace negotiator with a mandate from Brussels. Host Sarah Wheaton and POLITICO's chief EU correspondent Barbara M ... Show More
Up next
Today
The Commission’s next big overhaul?
One of the Commission’s oldest and most powerful departments may be heading for a dramatic overhaul — or even extinction. DG REGIO oversees the hundreds of billions of euros that go towards the social development of local regions and cities. But its potential restructuring by Com ... Show More
16m 2s
Yesterday
Could influencers crash future EU summits?
Ukraine wants Europe more involved in peace efforts with Russia — but who exactly would represent Europe in those talks? After Vladimir Putin floated former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a possible negotiator, Brussels reacted with disbelief. Host Zoya Sheftalovich and Ni ... Show More
14m 55s
May 11
French cinema is spooked by the far right
When foreign ministers meet in Brussels today, Israel and Russia will likely dominate the agenda. Today on the pod, Zoya and Nick discuss why the bloc might finally be able to move forward on sanctioning several Israeli individuals involved with settler violence against Palestini ... Show More
16m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2025
Ep101 Munich Security Conference 2025 – What does it mean for European Security?
In Munich last weekend, J.D. Vance shocked Europe with his speech castigating Europeans as having the ‘wrong values’ and not being ‘democratic’. Meanwhile, Trump and co. are doing the very democratic thing by being in Saudi Arabia and negotiating with Putin over Ukraine behind Ze ... Show More
40m 9s
Aug 2024
East meets West in Ankara: Inside the prisoner swap with Russia
<p>The prisoner exchange between the West and Russia last week was the largest swap since the end of the cold war. At Turkey’s Ankara airport, Russia and Belarus released 16 detainees, while the United States, Poland, Germany, Slovenia, and Norway released 8.</p><br><p>In this we ... Show More
30m 34s
Apr 2014
The differing responses to the Ukraine crisis
This week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in Washington for talks with President Barack Obama, and Ukraine will top the agenda. Washington has led the way on sanctions, imposing asset freezes and travel bans on dozens of senior Russians and scores of companies, in an attempt ... Show More
9m 48s
Feb 2025
Vatever you vant, Vladimir
Kremlin defender Tulsi Gabbard is the US’s new spy chief, while the US and Russia are holding peace talks without European and Ukrainian officials at the table. The vibe has officially shifted. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by L ... Show More
26m 14s
Jun 2024
The dangers of Putin and Kim Jong Un's explosive bromance
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first visit to North Korea in 24 years has resulted in the signing of a partnership agreement for mutual aid if either nation is attacked. Apparently encompassing a whole range of areas, including medical education and scientific pursuits, parti ... Show More
20m 52s
Jul 2024
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb on NATO, Europe’s Security and its Relations with the Rest of the World
<p>In this episode of<em> Hold Your Fire!</em>,<em> </em>Richard is joined by Finnish President and former Crisis Group trustee Alexander Stubb to talk about next week’s NATO summit, European security and the war in Ukraine. They assess Finland’s role as one of NATO’s newest memb ... Show More
47m 5s
Mar 2025
Latest on Ukraine Peace Talks
A delegation from the US is meeting with Kremlin representatives in Saudi Arabia today for negotiations on a partial ceasefire in Ukraine. It comes one day after a US team met with Ukrainian negotiators for what officials are calling "productive" talks. Dara Massicot is an expert ... Show More
56m 8s
Dec 2024
Forging peace: Europe’s role in Ukraine’s future
<p>As Donald Trump’s return to the presidency looms, European leaders are intensifying their diplomatic efforts. Emmanuel Macron has met with Donald Tusk to discuss European troop deployments, while a high-stakes meeting in Brussels with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky, NA ... Show More
36m 57s
Sep 2025
European Troop Coalition, Heads of State Meet in China, Trump and Labor Day
European leaders are drafting plans to send a coalition of troops to Ukraine as part of a possible post-war security guarantee. China's President Xi Jinping is hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit with the leaders of Russia and India gathering in a challenge to US ... Show More
13m 46s