Viktor Orbán may be out — but his man in Brussels is not.
Today on the pod, Ian and Sarah discuss how the Hungarian Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi is expected to stay on in the Berlaymont after his Fidesz party's landslide election loss back home. They explain why neither the Commission nor the new Hungarian government are in a rush to get rid of the Orbán al ... Show More
Yesterday
What Orbán’s ouster means for MAGA, Le Pen and Brussels
Election night in Hungary was an emotional and teary one ... but now, the work begins. The winners — Peter Magyar’s Tisza party — have the daunting task of reversing years of democratic backsliding that went on under Viktor Orbán’s watch. Meanwhile, Fidesz — and far-right parties ... Show More
38m 16s
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
Aug 2025
Trump tries for a Ukraine peace deal
UK employers cut back hiring over labour and tax cost fears, and Ukraine and its European allies worry about US President Donald Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Plus, HSBC is weighed down by woes in the Hong Kong commercial property market, and India’s huge ... Show More
10m 45s
Mar 2022
Oligarchs, Putin and Russian power
Russia’s elite class of billionaire oligarchs have become major targets for Western sanctions over the war on Ukraine. Last week, Canada announced it was freezing assets and banning business from Russian figures including Roman Abramovich, who has been ordered to sell his Chelsea ... Show More
23m 27s
Sep 2025
Putin's Nuclear Ambitions, Ukraine Tensions, and Russia's Future
Vladimir Putin BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.Vladimir Putin has been at the center of several high-profile events this past week, both on the world stage and domestically. Just days ago, he officially opened the World Atomic Week 2025 in Moscow, hosting dignitaries and indus ... Show More
3m 51s