July 21 is a national holiday in Belgium, so we decided to do things a bit differently on this long weekend. We recently celebrated our 100th episode with a live recording in front of an audience. Those in the room were lucky enough also to see an exclusive Q&A with Zoya and all the hosts. We’re now bringing that segment to our wider audience. In this episode we answer your questions on everything from technology to how the show gets made ... and all the spicy bits that get left on the cutting room floor. Do you have a question for Zoya and the gang? Don’t hesitate to send a message or voice note to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Europeans are traveling in huge numbers this summer — but the conflict in the Middle East, volatile fuel prices linked to disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, and a troubled new border system are making journeys more complicated. Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO reporters Ben Munster, Tommaso Lecca and Jordyn Dahl to unpack how Europe avoided the jet fuel crisis that many had feared; whether flight ticket prices could still rise in the coming months; what passengers are owed when things go wrong; and why the EU’s new Entry/Exit System is producing such long queues. Plus, we’d love to hear your summer reading recommendations. Anything goes: politics, crime, romance, non-fiction, poetry and more. We’ll feature some of your suggestions in a future episode. Send us a voice note or message us on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. You can also email us at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The European Parliament’s 719 lawmakers are about to head off on their six-week summer break. But that doesn’t mean an end to the political headaches.   That’s because as soon as they return on Aug. 31, lawmakers will dive straight back into backroom negotiations ahead of Parliament’s big midterm reshuffle. Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart discuss the scheming already happening behind the scenes. Next: Europe wants to restrict children’s use of social media — much like Australia. But does the implementation of Canberra’s ban serve as a warning or a trailblazer? Zoya speaks with the Aussie eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, to learn more. And finally, it seems the EU’s new digital border system can’t tell identical twins apart. We dig deeper. … And we talk about monkeys again. Do you have a monkey story? Send us a message or voice note to our WhatsApp Send us a message or voice note to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

European allies are moving to help strengthen Ukraine as Kyiv ups the pressure in its war against Russia. As a part of that push, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and a group of EU leaders are making a surprise trip to Kyiv to push through a string of new defense initiatives. Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart discuss these packages set to be announced today. Next: As of today you can walk from Spain into the British territory of Gibraltar and barely notice you’ve crossed a border. We take a look at one of the loose ends of Brexit that is finally being tied up. Lastly, we all know Brussels is a political hub ... but could it become an academic one as well? French university Sciences Po is considering opening a campus in Brussels to help train the next generation of eurocrats. Questions? Comments? Send us a message or voice note to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Enlargement is high on the list of priorities for the Irish presidency of the Council of the EU ... and Dublin is not wasting any time. On the sidelines of the EU’s General Affairs Council happening today, there will be four separate accession conferences: for Ukraine, Moldova, Albania and Montenegro — to formally mark progress in their membership bids. Ireland’s Europe Minister Thomas Byrne said it’s the largest number of accession meetings held on a single day since 2002. Next: The European Commission is undertaking its first major workplace overhaul in two decades. Piotr Serafin, the commissioner responsible for human resources, presented a first set of reforms on Monday. But not everyone is happy with how the EU executive is handling this shake-up. Lastly, did you know that a baby born in the EU today can expect to live to roughly 81.5 years? A new report on demographics from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre released today reveals some surprising details about European demographic challenges. Questions? Comments? Send us a message or voice note to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels as a growing group of countries push the European Commission to propose restrictions on trade with illegal Israeli settlements. Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur explain why although the economic impact would be small, the legal and political stakes are far larger — and why critics accuse Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of dragging her feet. Then, Ukraine’s Coalition of the Willing gathers in Paris the same day as Kyiv urges its allies to press their advantage over Russia before the winter. And finally, von der Leyen receives expert recommendations on protecting children from social media — as Europe debates age limits, platform responsibility and whether bans would work at all. Questions? Comments? Send us a message or voice note to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, NATO leaders gathered in Ankara — giving President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a powerful stage at a moment when Turkey’s strategic value to Europe is rising. Sarah Wheaton speaks to Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, about Erdoğan’s moment at this week’s NATO summit, Turkey’s complicated relationship with Europe and the United States, and whether the EU can build a serious partnership with Ankara while still confronting its crackdown on political opposition and free media. Then, author and POLITICO contributor John Kampfner joins the show to discuss his new book, “Braver New World” — and what Europe can learn from places that have found unusually good answers to big problems, from Vienna’s housing model to Finland’s schools and Estonia’s digital state. And since we’re book nerds, we’d love to hear your recommendations for summer reads; we’ll feature some of them in a future episode. Send us a voice note or message us on WhatsApp here, or at +32 491 05 06 29. You can also email us at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Far-right National Rally’s Marine Le Pen has announced she’ll run in the 2027 French presidential election, following Tuesday's shock court ruling which cleared the way for her to do so. But what does that mean for Europe? On Tuesday, a Paris appeals court upheld Le Pen’s guilty verdict but reduced the amount of time she’s banned from holding public office. That means she can run — but under house arrest, with electronic monitoring. On the show, we unpack what Brussels makes of all this. Also on the show, Europe’s cows now have a new job title: critical infrastructure. The Commission’s new livestock strategy frames livestock as crucial for strategic autonomy and even preparedness. But what does that mean for climate concerns? Finally: Russian athletes could be allowed to compete in the 2028 Olympics — and EU politicians aren’t happy about it. Questions? Comments? Send us a message or voice note to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The European Union is in disagreement over whether the Commission should allow Serbia to progress in its membership process. The issue will come to a head at a meeting of EU ambassadors in Brussels today. While the Commission argues that dangling accession in front of prospective members is a useful geopolitical tool that can prevent countries from turning towards rival powers, some countries in the bloc aren’t convinced. Zoya Sheftalovich and Kathryn Carlson unpack the debate. Also on the show, at the sidelines of the NATO summit happening in Ankara, our colleague Dasha Burns, host of POLITICO’s The Conversation podcast, sat down with the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. His main message? Donald Trump was right. Finally, the European Anti-Fraud Office is warning that fake condoms are making their way into the bloc. Questions? Comments? Send us a message or voice note to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Europe is on the edge of its seat as it awaits a crucial verdict in the case of France’s National Rally leader, Marine Le Pen, today. If the Paris appeals court upholds her five-year ban on holding public office, Le Pen’s dream of running in 2027 will be dashed, and the campaign of her 30-year-old protégé, Jordan Bardella, will officially kick off. Also on the show, NATO allies are meeting in Ankara with one goal: avoiding a Donald Trump blow-up. To placate the U.S. president, they’re keeping the meeting short and focusing on big spending numbers. Finally, the EU’s Entry/Exit System has been causing a bit of a fiasco at the bloc’s borders ... and it seems the Commission is finally willing to admit it. So what now? Have you experienced long queues while traveling because of the new Entry/Exit System? Send us a message or voice note to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices