Best European Council on Foreign Relations Podcasts (2025)

1
Hedging diplomacy: New Delhi’s foreign policy in Trump’s world 30:35

Play Pause

4d ago30:35

30:35

Mark Leonard welcomes James Crabtree and Suhasini Haidar to explore India’s foreign policy and its emerging relations with Europe. For decades, India-Europe relations did not fulfil their potential. Now transactional American foreign policy has seen Donald Trump impose severe tariffs on India and push New Delhi to adopt a strategy of multi-alignmen…

1
Drones over Denmark: Russia tests NATO’s defences 15:42

5d ago15:42

15:42

Mark Leonard is joined by Ulrike Franke, ECFR senior policy fellow, for an Emergency Room podcast. Together, they unpack the recent wave of drone incursions across European airspace in Poland, Romania and Denmark, and discuss what these hybrid threats reveal about Russian tactics and NATO’s readiness. How serious are these drone sightings and what …

1
The dog days of summer: Ukraine battles and diplomacy 29:31

11d ago29:31

29:31

Mark Leonard welcomes Jana Kobzova to break down the summer’s key developments in Russia’s war on Ukraine. This week, ECFR’s director Mark Leonard returns to our regular programming after an eventful summer over Ukraine that saw Donald Trump meet Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss the war—a meeting that stunned global observers. Also over the summ…

1
The New Politics: Report from Washington 26:55

18d ago26:55

26:55

This week, ECFR director Mark Leonard concludes his deep-dive podcast series into the political universe of the “post-liberal revolution”. Throughout the series, Mark has interviewed prominent individuals across national conservative movements and “new right” politics, aiming to unpack the values behind its roots and ideas. The last episode, which …

1
The New Politics with Balázs Orbán 53:33

25d ago53:33

53:33

This week Mark Leonard is joined by Balázs Orbán, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán’s (no relation) political director since 2021. He is also chairman of the board at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium. Previously, Balázs was minister of state in the prime minister’s office and director general of the Migration Research Institute in Budapest. Toget…

1
The New Politics with Hélène De Lauzun 32:16

1M ago32:16

32:16

This week Mark Leonard is joined by Hélène De Lauzun, Paris correspondent for the European Conservative and author of L'histoire de l'Autriche (The History of Austria), to discuss the historical roots and modern expressions of conservatism in France. Together, Mark and Hélène explore her intellectual journey as a historian emphasising France’s pre-…

1
The New Politics with Gladden Pappin 41:51

1M ago41:51

41:51

In the second episode of ECFR’s summer mini-series on the “New Right”, Mark Leonard is joined by Gladden Pappin, president of the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs, co-founder and deputy editor of American Affairs Journal and co-founder of the online magazine Post-Liberal Order. Gladden's intellectual journey illustrates the transnationa…

1
The new politics with Rod Dreher 39:17

2M ago39:17

39:17

This week Mark Leonard is joined by Rod Dreher, a visiting fellow and Network Project director at the Danube Institute in Budapest, and former senior editor at The American Conservative. Draher is also a writer—his latest book, “Live Not By Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents” is based on the experiences of Christians persecuted in Soviet Russi…

1
The new politics with Yoram Hazony 27:55

2M ago27:55

27:55

In the second episode of ECFR’s summer mini-series on the “New Right”, Mark Leonard is joined by Yoram Hazony, Israeli political scientist, president of the Herzl Institute in Jerusalem and chairman of the Edmund Burke Foundation, to explore the emergence of national conservatism as a response to the perceived crisis of liberalism. In their convers…

1
The new politics with Ivan Krastev 35:58

2M ago35:58

35:58

The re-election of President Donald Trump and the recent successes of right-wing parties across the world are posing a challenge to the established political order. With overwhelming evidence that we are living through a political Zeitenwende, this summer ECFR is taking a deep dive into the “post-liberal revolution”—starting with a new podcast seri…

1
Democratic decay in Bulgaria 29:57

2M ago29:57

29:57

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Vessela Tcherneva, deputy director of ECFR, and Maria Simeonova, head of ECFR’s Sofia office, to discuss the deteriorating political situation in Bulgaria. Bulgaria is set to join the euro zone in 2026—but the country faces severe internal challenges. In a sign of mounting political instability, Bulgarians have …

1
Live from the Aspen Security Forum: America’s inward turn 32:45

2M ago32:45

32:45

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Jeremy Shapiro, ECFR’s research director and head of its US programme, and Tom Wright, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Strobe Talbott Centre and former Biden administration official, for an episode recorded live at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado. Mark, Jeremy and Tom discuss the forum’s tense …

1
Crisis and control in Gaza and the West Bank 28:53

2M ago28:53

28:53

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Hugh Lovatt, ECFR policy fellow, and Tahani Mustafa, visiting fellow in ECFR’s Middle East and North Africa programme, to discuss Israel’s military action in Gaza and the West Bank, the ensuing humanitarian crisis, and the political dynamics of Hamas, Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Mark, Hugh and Tahani p…

1
Tariff tensions: Avoiding an EU-US trade war 14:08

3M ago14:08

14:08

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Tobias Gehrke, ECFR senior policy fellow, for a 15-minute Emergency Room episode dissecting the collapse of an EU-US trade deal. President Donald Trump’s last-minute letter, threatening to impose tariffs of 30% on the EU by August 1st, shattered expectations of a negotiated settlement—and prompted EU member stat…

1
Beyond the battlefield: Europe’s long-term strategy for Ukraine 26:25

3M ago26:25

26:25

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Jana Kobzova, ECFR senior policy fellow, and Camille Grand, ECFR distinguished policy fellow, to discuss ECFR’s new European Security Programme and the war in Ukraine. They take a “beyond the horizon” view of the war, considering what Europe’s medium- and long-term strategy towards Ukraine should look like. This…

1
Hidden empire: How America wields economic power 34:26

3M ago34:26

34:26

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Henry Farrell, ECFR council member and professor at John Hopkins University, to discuss Henry’s new book “Underground Economy”, co-authored by Abraham Newman. In their take, globalisation has brought interdependence—which is being weaponised as a tool for strategic advantage. As the main facilitator of global in…

1
Live from Warsaw: Polling European politics under Trump’s shadow 29:55

3M ago29:55

29:55

Recorded live from ECFR’s Annual Council Meeting 2025, this week’s podcast features Mark Leonard in conversation with Ivan Krastev, Chair of the Centre for Liberal Strategies in Sofia and permanent fellow at the Institute of Human Sciences in Vienna, and Carl Bildt, former prime minister and foreign minister of Sweden as well as co-chair of ECFR’s …

1
NATO summit 2025: How Europe can secure its future 11:15

3M ago11:15

11:15

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Camille Grand, former NATO assistant secretary general and ECFR distinguished policy fellow, for a 15-minute Emergency Room episode dissecting the high-stakes NATO summit in The Hague. Against a turbulent geopolitical backdrop, world leaders navigated President Donald Trump’s push for a 5% GDP defence-spending t…

1
What to expect from the conflict between Israel and Iran 35:00

3M ago35:00

35:00

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by the deputy director of ECFR’s Middle East and North Africa programme, Ellie Geranmayeh, and Eran Etzion, policy planning director for the Israeli foreign ministry and former deputy head of Israel’s National Security Council. Mark and his guests break down how the conflict has developed since last Friday’s emerge…

1
Israel attacks Iran: Europe’s role in stopping a dangerous regional war 17:25

4M ago17:25

17:25

Mark Leonard is joined by Ellie Geranmayeh, deputy director of ECFR’s Middle East and North Africa programme, for a 15-minute Emergency Room episode diving into Israel’s massive overnight attack on Iran. Using 200 fighter jets, Israel targeted over 100 military and nuclear sites, assassinating senior Iranian commanders and scientists. The result is…

1
Doves and Hawks: Foreign policy in the second Trump age 33:15

4M ago33:15

33:15

A humanitarian crisis in Gaza; question marks around Iran; unstable governments in eastern Europe; and the growth of China’s economic and military might. All are cause for concern—and all provide the backdrop to the Trump administration’s approach to foreign policy, which represents the biggest generational shift since the cold war. This week Mark …

1
Uncrowded house: European power during demographic change 27:03

4M ago27:03

27:03

How policymakers respond to Europe’s many challenges—from Russian aggression to sluggish economic growth to the shift to clean energy - will shape the continent for decades to come. In the face of these trials, however, they overlook something slower but equally as important: the global demographic transition. This week, Mark Leonard is joined by A…

1
NATO and Europe first: Britain’s new Strategic Defence Review 17:40

4M ago17:40

17:40

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director general at the Royal United Services Institute and former Labour government advisor, for an Emergency Room episode dissecting the UK’s newly unveiled Strategic Defence Review (SDR). Prime minister Keir Starmer has committed to increasing defence spending to 3% GDP by 2030, expan…

1
Nawrocki’s win: What Poland’s populist president means for Europe 15:48

4M ago15:48

15:48

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Piotr Buras, head of ECFR’s Warsaw office, for a 15-minute rapid-response episode dissecting the outcome of Poland’s presidential election. Yesterday, right-wing populist Karol Nawrocki, member of the Law and Justice party (PiS), edged out Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski by just 400,000 votes, crushing hopes of a…

1
Mobilising Europe: The case for a European Preparedness Act 35:55

4M ago35:55

35:55

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Tiago Antunes, ECFR associate senior fellow at and former Portuguese secretary of state for European affairs; and Nicu Popescu, ECFR distinguished policy fellow and former Moldovan deputy prime minister and foreign minister. Mark, Tiago and Nicu discuss the proposal for a European Preparedness Act, inspired by t…

1
Crisis and collapse: Europe’s intervention in Gaza 19:00

4M ago19:00

19:00

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Julien Barnes-Dacey, ECFR’s Middle East and North Africa programme director, for an emergency room episode diving into the dire situation in Gaza. After the March ceasefire collapsed, Israel’s intensified offensive—where it plans to occupy 75% of the strip—and an 80-day humanitarian blockade have pushed Gaza int…

1
Security ties and political trade-offs: Inside the EU-UK deal 35:23

4M ago35:23

35:23

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Camille Grand, former assistant secretary general at NATO and ECFR distinguished policy fellow, and Ivan Rogers, formerly Britain’s permanent representative to the EU, adviser for Europe and global issues to David Cameron, and principle private secretary to Tony Blair. It has been four days after the EU-UK summi…

1
Liberal tides, populist currents: Elections in Poland and Romania 15:43

4M ago15:43

15:43

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Piotr Buras, head of ECFR’s Warsaw office, for an emergency room episode dissecting Sunday’s pivotal elections in Poland and Romania. Their discussion, which was recorded after high-stakes voting had taken place across Portugal, Poland and Romania, zooms in on some surprising outcomes. Romania’s liberal candidat…

1
Reset or compromise? Taking stock of the EU-UK summit 15:16

4M ago15:16

15:16

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Mij Rahman, managing director for Europe at Eurasia Group and ECFR council member, for an emergency room episode dissecting the long-awaited EU-UK summit. While the summit’s agreement sets precedents on policies including an agri-food deal, and a security and defence partnership, it falls short of achieving ambi…

1
Trump’s new Europe: From ally to adversary 30:44

5M ago30:44

30:44

Mark Leonard welcomes Célia Belin, head of ECFR’s Paris office and senior policy fellow, to discuss how President Donald Trump’s return to the White House could reshape Europe’s political landscape. Their conversation builds on Célia’s recent policy brief, “MAGA goes global: Trump’s plan for Europe”: she argues that, while Trump’s foreign policy ma…

1
Truce or trap: Decoding the US-China trade pause 13:04

5M ago13:04

13:04

Far from a grand bargain, the US-China trade deal rolls back President Donald Trump’s post-Liberation Day tariff spiral—which peaked at 145%—to pre-April levels. This will avert empty US shelves, but leaves underlying tensions unresolved. In this emergency room episode, Mark Leonard welcomes Janka Oertel, head of ECFR’s Asia programme, to dissect t…

1
Border geopolitics: India and Pakistan revisited 16:56

5M ago16:56

16:56

Over the weekend, India and Pakistan came closer to all-out war than perhaps at any point in the past 20 to 25 years as missiles flew back and forth across the border. At the point of this podcast recording, a fragile ceasefire appears to be holding—but tensions remain high. In this week’s emergency podcast episode, Mark Leonard welcomes Andrew Sma…

1
A new chapter in German politics 32:17

5M ago32:17

32:17

As of May 6th, Germany has a new government, led by the CDU’s Friedrich Merz in coalition with the CSU and SPD. Despite a last-minute hitch, Merz is now safely installed in the Bundeskanzleramt in Berlin, from where he immediately jetted off to Paris and Warsaw for high-level political meetings. In this episode, Mark Leonard welcomes Jeremy Cliffe,…

1
100 days of Trump 28:32

5M ago28:32

28:32

Trump’s first 100 days in office have brought chaos to US foreign and domestic policy. From imperial gestures to institutional erosion, Mark Leonard welcomes Jeremy Shapiro to unpack what this means for American democracy—and for Europe. From territorial provocations and budget slashes to institutional chaos and a reordering of US foreign policy, D…

1
What’s next for Berlin? 14:31

5M ago14:31

14:31

Friedrich Merz is set to become Germany’s next chancellor after Social Democratic Party members approved a coalition agreement with the Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union—bringing Olaf Scholz’s tenure to an end. In this emergency episode of World in 30 Minutes, Mark Leonard is joined by Jana Puglieri…

1
Ceasefire in Ukraine? 15:34

5M ago15:34

15:34

On the 100th day of Donald Trump’s second term, the war in Ukraine—which he promised to end within 24 hours—rages on. As Trump’s impatience with the conflict grows, Ukraine and its European allies are scrambling to prevent an imposed peace deal that would see Kyiv recognise Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine , and abandon…

1
Nuclear diplomacy: Trump, Iran and a potential new deal 32:25

5M ago32:25

32:25

After years of stalled diplomacy, the US and Iran are back in high-level talks. Surprise meetings have taken place in Oman and Rome, with more expected soon. Could this be President Donald Trump’s long-awaited foreign policy win? Or will competing agendas, regional tensions and internal divisions doom the negotiations before they begin? This week, …

1
Tariffs, tensions, and trade: Trump’s gamble on China 30:26

6M ago30:26

30:26

Two weeks after Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff announcement shook global markets, he has now offered most countries a 90-day reprieve—while simultaneously escalating trade tensions with China by imposing harsher penalties. So far, China has responded by matching each tariff hike with its own response. This week, Mark Leonard welcomes Agathe Demarai…

1
From Brexit to breakthrough? The future of EU-UK cooperation 42:55

6M ago42:55

42:55

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Mujtaba Rahman, managing director, Europe, at Eurasia Group, to explore the evolving dynamic between the EU and the UK. With a new British government under Keir Starmer and shifting global currents, what are the real opportunities—and constraints—for a meaningful reset in EU-UK relations? Mark and Mujtaba discus…

1
Porcupine play: How Taiwan defends its democracy 28:42

6M ago28:42

28:42

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Camille Grand, ECFR distinguished policy fellow, and Janka Oertel, head of ECFR’s Asia programme, who have recently returned from Taipei. Together, they explore Taiwan’s delicate balancing act as China ramps up its military drills and as the second Trump administration’s priorities shift. The conversation dives …

1
Trump’s tariff bombshell: Rewriting the rules of global trade 16:50

6M ago16:50

16:50

In this emergency room episode, Mark Leonard is joined by Agathe Demarais, ECFR senior policy fellow and geoeconomics team leader. They explore the dramatic implications of Donald Trump’s unexpected and aggressive tariff policies announcement on 2nd April—which he has dubbed “Independence Day.” Mark and Agathe discuss the economic shockwaves hittin…

1
Le Pen’s fall: Europe’s far-right faces a reckoning 15:15

6M ago15:15

15:15

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Célia Belin, head of ECFR’s Paris office, to dive into the seismic news shaking French politics: the conviction of Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN). A French court has found Le Pen guilty of misusing European Parliament funds, sentencing her to a five-year ban from public office and eff…

1
Europe’s Asian pivot: India and the quest for strategic autonomy 29:34

6M ago29:34

29:34

This week, Mark Leonard hosts an expert panel to dive into Europe’s evolving relationships with Asia amid the uncertainties of the Trump administration. Joining from Berlin is Janka Oertel, head of ECFR’s Asia programme; from London, James Crabtree, a distinguished visiting fellow at ECFR with extensive Asia experience; and from New Delhi, Rudra Ch…

1
Signal scandal: The US and its shifting alliances 14:21

6M ago14:21

14:21

This week, Mark Leonard joins forces with Jeremy Shapiro, ECFR’s director of research and US programme director, to unpick two momentous geopolitical disruptions. First, a stunning scandal emerged from a Signal group chat, where senior US officials—including the vice president, secretary of defence and CIA director—carelessly looped in the Atlantic…

1
Erdogan’s crackdown: Turkey and the fight for democracy 18:47

6M ago18:47

18:47

This week, Mark Leonard welcomes Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, associate senior policy fellow for ECFR’s Wider Europe programme and visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, to discuss the dramatic arrest of Istanbul’s popular mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu. The arrest sparked nationwide protests; together they explore whether President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s bold …

1
Europe vs. Trump: Deterrence or escalation? 30:43

6M ago30:43

30:43

This week, Mark Leonard hosts Tobias Gehrke, an ECFR senior policy fellow specialising in geoeconomics and economic security, and José Ignacio Torreblanca, head of ECFR’s Madrid office and expert on tech geopolitics, to explore how Europe can counter a potentially hostile Trump administration. With trade wars looming and the US flexing its power, M…

1
Decoding the call: What the Trump-Putin exchange means for global politics 11:10

7M ago11:10

11:10

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Kirill Shamiev, a policy fellow with ECFR’s Wider Europe programme, to dissect the outcomes and implications of the historic phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin—which, at two-and-a-half-hours, was the longest between American and Russian leaders in history. Mark and Kirill explore the three key ou…

1
Divide and conquer: Trump’s class war 13:35

7M ago13:35

13:35

In this episode, Mark Leonard is joined by Adam Tooze—ECFR trustee, the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis professor of history at Columbia University, director of the university’s European Institute and author—to discuss Donald Trump’s rise through a class lens. They examine how job losses and cultural divides, as well as frustration with media, tech…

1
Trump’s shadow: Reshaping politics and policy across Europe 24:09

7M ago24:09

24:09

Donald Trump's presidency has cast a significant shadow over Europe, reshaping its varied political landscapes and policy decisions. As the continent navigates this transformative era, it also faces tests to its unity and cohesion. This week, Mark Leonard welcomes Célia Belin, ECFR senior policy fellow and head of the Paris office, Piotr Buras, ECF…

1
Ceasefire or crossroads: Ukraine, the US and Russia's next move 15:36

7M ago15:36

15:36

This week, Mark Leonard welcomes Marie Dumoulin, head of ECFR’s Wider Europe programme, to explore the implications of and strategic motives behind a newly announced Ukraine-US agreement amid the Russia conflict. The deal includes a 30-day ceasefire, and resumed US intelligence sharing and military aid for Ukraine. Will Russia reciprocate or escala…

European Council On Foreign Relations Podcasts