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Brussels Playbook Podcast

Europe edges toward a multi-speed future

Brussels Playbook Podcast

POLITICO

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.4204 Ratings

🗓️ 16 February 2026

⏱️ 16 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

At this year's Munich Security Conference, the U.S. struck a softer tone — but Europe remains wary. Back in Brussels, as finance ministers gather for a Eurogroup meeting, a new informal format — the so-called E6 — is drawing attention. Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Poland — Europe’s biggest economies — are coordinating more closely. This is reigniting questions about whether the EU is drifting toward a multi-speed future and not everyone is comfortable with it. Meanwhile, after 613 days without a fully empowered executive, Brussels finally has a new regional government. Host Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by Nick Vinocur, POLITICO’s chief foreign affairs correspondent.As always, we’d love to hear from you. Send us a line or a voice note with your thoughts — or ideas for topics we should cover. You can reach us at our WhatsApp number, +32 491 05 06 29. **A message from Amazon: Across Europe, businesses are growing with the AWS Cloud to build innovative, scalable products. From Europe’s largest enterprises and government agencies to the continent’s fastest growing startups, learn more about how AWS Cloud is helping businesses across Europe grow at AWS.eu.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Today's episode is presented by Amazon.

0:03.4

60% of sales on Amazon come from independent sellers.

0:07.3

Across Europe, over 280,000 small and medium enterprises

0:11.9

partner with Amazon to grow their business.

0:14.7

Learn more at aboutamazon.eU.

0:18.7

This episode is brought to you by Vanta.

0:21.4

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0:43.0

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0:44.9

Get started today at Vanta.com.

0:48.5

Good morning. It's Monday, February 16, and this is the Brussels Playbook podcast.

0:56.1

The vibe at the start of this week is sceptical, as Europeans don't buy the US charm offensive

1:01.8

at the Munich Security Conference.

1:04.2

Also on the table, a group of six EU countries are spearheading reforms on their own.

1:09.6

And I'm going to have to eat my hat over the

1:11.5

Brussels government talks because there's been a Bouchet breakthrough. I'm Zoya Shafhtalovich, Politico's

1:17.3

chief EU correspondent. And with me today is Nick Vinikour, our chief foreign affairs correspondent.

...

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