# Special episode: State of the EU 2026 — promises vs reality

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/brussels-playbook-podcast-730322/special-episode-state-of-the-eu-2026-promises-vs-reality
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/brussels-playbook-podcast-730322/special-episode-state-of-the-eu-2026-promises-vs-reality.md
Podcast: [Brussels Playbook Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/brussels-playbook-podcast-730322)
Published: 2026-09-16T11:45:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.politico.eu/podcast/brussels-playbook-podcast/
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/POLL4445897297.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/brussels-playbook-podcast-730322/episodes/special-episode-state-of-the-eu-2026-promises-vs-reality
Duration seconds: 772

## Resource

In this special episode from Strasbourg, Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart give their first take on the State of the European Union speech delivered by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. They look at the push for a more independent Europe — from competitiveness to AI, climate, defense and Ukraine — as well as the ideas that could shape what comes next, including a European Security Council and a deeper partnership with Canada. Our audience survey is still live — we’d love to hear what you think about the pod. Questions? Comments? Let us know on our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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## Transcript

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