Europe’s Make-or-Break Summit

Max and Donatienne discuss recent comments by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declaring the end of ‘Pax Americana’. Then, they preview a high-stakes European Council meeting, where leaders will discuss the Mercosur trade deal and the European Commission’s proposal to leverage frozen Russian assets to provide a crucial loan to Ukraine.  Finally, they turn to a conversation with Dr. Thu Nguyen, Acting Co-Director of the Jacques Delors Centre, to discuss the state of democracy in the EU.  (00:00) Intro (02:05) Friedrich Merz ‘Pax Americana’ Speech (05:19) Frozen Russian Assets Loan (13:13) Mercosur Trade Deal (19:00) Interview with Thu Nguyen   Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts

Max Bergmann sits down with Abraham Newman and Kristine Berzina for a rapid-reaction conversation about the newly released U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS), its implications for the European security landscape, and the key clash at the forefront of transatlantic tech relations.  The live video episode was recorded on Monday, December 9, 2025. Abraham Newman is the director of the BMW Center for German and European Studies and John Powers Chair in International Business Diplomacy at Georgetown University. Kristine Berzina is a senior fellow for U.S. Defense and Transatlantic Security at the German Marshall Fund in Washington DC.   Watch the live event on demand here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFS5L81uzfA    Reach out to our team with any questions affecting Europe, or to share feedback on the show. We want to hear from you!   Email: [email protected]     X:   @csiserep       Bluesky: @erep.csis.org

Max and Donatienne discuss the latest peace negotiations to secure an end to the war in Ukraine.  They also cover ongoing talks about implementation of the US–EU trade deal, after US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with their EU counterparts in Brussels. Then, they turn to a conversation with Cecilia Malmström, former EU Commissioner for Trade and Home Affairs, to discuss the European Union’s trade agenda.  (00:00) Intro  (00:56) Ukraine Peace Negotiations  (11:50) Lutnick and Greer in Brussels  (18:50) Interview with Cecilia Malmström    Learn more:   Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts

Max speaks with Michael Kimmage about his immediate reactions to the new 28-point peace plan for Ukraine, and the rapid-fire diplomacy taking place in response to its release. This conversation was recorded on November 24, 2025. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts

Max and Donatienne discuss a recent vote in the European Parliament where the center-right European People’s Party voted with the far right to approve cuts to EU green rules. Then, they turn to a conversation with Federico Steinberg and Nicolas Véron about the euro and Europe's economic future. (00:00) Intro (00:42) European Parliament vote on EU green rules (17:10) Interview with Federico Steinberg and Nicolas Véron Learn more:   Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts  Is a New Era Emerging for the Euro? | The Eurofile

Max Bergmann is joined by Federico Steinberg and Nicolas Véron for a conversation about Europe's economic future. The discussion covers the Euro’s evolving international role, the rise of stable coins and the digital Euro, and how Europe can chart a fiscally sustainable future.  Federico Steinberg is a visiting fellow with the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program, Prince of Asturias distinguished visiting professor at Georgetown University, and senior analyst at the Elcano Royal Institute. Nicolas Véron is senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Learn more:  Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts

On the latest episode of The Eurofile, Max and Donatienne discuss the recent Dutch elections, where centrist-liberal party, D66, narrowly secured victory over the far-right Party for Freedom, while EU "big wig," Frans Timmermans, and his GreenLeft-Labor ticket suffered a disappointing defeat. Then, they turn to a conversation with Zsolt Darvas, Senior Fellow at Bruegel, to discuss whether the EU’s long-term budget, also known as the Multiannual Financial Framework, is fit for purpose.

Max and Donatienne discuss the ongoing negotiations over the EU’s next long-term budget and a recent call from the German government to establish a common European stock market. Then, they turn to a conversation with Jeremy Shapiro, Research Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, to discuss how European leaders have approached Trump. Have they avoided the worst-case scenario or is appeasement backfiring already?      (00:00) Intro  (00:52) EU Budget Fight  (11:40) Berlin Calls for European Stock Market  (17:11) Interview with Jeremy Shapiro    Learn more:   Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts

Max and Donatienne discuss the recent Czech parliamentary election in which billionaire businessman and former prime minister Andrej Babis and his ANO party roared to a victory (01:00). They also cover last week’s informal European Council summit in Copenhagen, where leaders met to discuss how to bolster the continent’s security (07:33). Finally, they turn to a conversation with Ben McWilliams, affiliate fellow in the field of energy and climate policy with Bruegel, to discuss the European Union’s energy and climate agenda (15:47).  Learn more:   Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts How Europe Can Defend Itself with Less America

Max and Donatienne answer listener questions (0:44) before talking with Sylvie Kauffmann, editorial director and columnist at Le Monde, about France’s political turmoil (22:40).  Learn more:   Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts