Episode
Week Ender: Can Europe patch up the world in disorder?
- Podcast
- Brussels Playbook Podcast
- Published
- Sep 18, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1874
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://www.politico.eu/podcast/brussels-playbook-podcast/
Actions
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Summary
The old global order is breaking down. Ursula von der Leyen thinks Europe may have to start building something new around it. In her State of the European Union speech, she floated closer ties with Canada — even “associate membership” — and a new European Security Council, as Europe looks for new ways to work with like-minded powers in an increasingly chaotic world. But both ideas immediately raised questions about whether von der Leyen was getting ahead of her own allies. Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO Executive Editor Carrie Budoff Brown, senior EU climate reporter Zia Weise and AI and technology reporter Pieter Haeck to unpack what von der Leyen’s speech tells us about Europe’s search for a role in this new global “unorder.” They also look at her climate message — heavy on adaptation to heat, drought and fires, but lighter on new answers to Europe’s energy problems — and at her attempt to square AI regulation with the need to keep Europe in the global tech race. Questions? Comments? Let us know on our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. This episode was produced by Dionis Sturis and Saga Ringmar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices