The upcoming Porto Social Summit hopes to give a much-needed push to the European Pillar of Social Rights, the EU’s attempt to add a social dimension to its policies. But without any real power in this area, what concrete results can we expect?

The EPC's Social Europe and Well-Being team looks ahead at the summit and explores the tension between the dream of a social Europe and doing the work of building it. 

In this episode, programme assistant Danielle Brady, junior policy analyst Mihai Palimariciuc, policy analysts Laura Rayner and Simona Guagliardo and newly appointed associate director Aileen McLeod explain why EU-wide social policies are worth pursuing and how they could be implemented successfully. 

They also cover health care, the potential role of the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility in spurring reforms, and the disproportionate effect COVID-19 has had on women in the workplace.

A strong Social Europe: Long overdue or a bridge too far?

Four months after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the spotlights have dimmed. But as winter sets in and the new regime tightens its grip, what is the state of the country, its people, and the Afghans that have fled and are still looking for safety? In this two-part episode, we talk about the unfolding humanitarian crisis, how Afghan refugees are faring in neighbouring and other transit countries, and what the EU and the international communicate are doing to address it. 

With Abdul Ghafoor Rafiey, founder and director of the Afghanistan Migrants Advice and Support Organization; Rene Taus Hansen, Afghanistan & Pakistan Department at the European External Action Service; and Helena Hahn, junior policy analyst in the European Migration and Diversity programme at the European Policy Centre.

This episode is part of the Mercator Dialogue on Migration and Asylum or MEDAM, a research project that develops evidence-based solutions for asylum and immigration policies.

Afghanistan revisited - Part I

One of the EPC's founders, John Palmer, describes the early days of the organisation.

EPC@25 - Interview with EPC founder John Palmer

As protests in Israel continue to rise against Netanyahu's government and his judicial reforms, the last part of this EPC podcast series takes a closer look at Israel’s foreign relations. EPC Analyst Mihai Sebastian Chihaia is joined by Azriel Bermant, Maya Sion, and Aaron David Miller to discuss the US stance towards Netanyahu, the significance and purpose of President Herzog’s visit to Brussels, and the new government’s position towards Russia and the war in Ukraine. 

How will the new leadership affect Israel’s geopolitical agenda? Will the EU support the country’s pro-democracy movements? And will the US be ‘tough on Israel’ if Netanyahu moves forward with his controversial judicial reforms?

The new government In Israel: Domestic and foreign policy implications - Part II

On Wednesday 8 November, the Commission published its 2023 Enlargement Package. 

The Package recommended opening accession negotiations to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, granting candidate status to Georgia, and opening negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, once the necessary degree of compliance is achieved. 

In this episode of the EPC Podcast, we discuss the Package and its implications, taking a closer look at the situation in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Bosnia, as well as the EU internally. 

There’s no doubt enlargement is a ‘geostrategic investment’, but are the EU27 and future members ready for this step?

With Olivier Costa, Professor at the College of Europe; Teona Lavrelashvili, EPC’s Policy Analyst and Coordinator of the Task Force on EU Enlargement; and Berta López Domènech, Junior Policy Analyst at the European Policy Centre.

The 2023 Enlargement Package: What's next?

The snap-elections called by French president Macron, after the rise of Le Pen's Rassemblement National at the EU parliament, took an unprecedented turn on Sunday, July 7th.
 
With the far-left coming as the surprise winner of the elections with 182 seats, Macron's party coalition secured 153 seats while the Rassemblement National predicted to lead with a majority only ended third with 143 seats. This political climate is a clear shift for France which is heading for a cohabitation and a mix of coalitions; one that puzzles experts. How will France will govern with a far-left and far-right influence?
 
In this episode of the EPC's newest security and defence podcast 'Language of Power', we discuss the impact of the surprise results of this historic legislative election in France, as well as what it means for Ukraine, the future of European defence and finally, the role of France in the western alliance.
 
With Garvan Walshe, EPC's head of communications and podcast host, Paul Taylor, a senior visiting fellow for the EPC and Eric Maurice, policy analyst in the European Politics and Institutions programme.

The Language of Power: Defence and Security implications of the French legislative elections

Where does Ukraine stand following President Zelenskyy’s disastrous meeting with Trump and Vice-President JD Vance at the White House last week? Having left Washington with no agreement and with US officials calling for his replacement, the Ukrainian leader went on to meet in London with European leaders, who offered him their full support but also encouraged him to mend fences with Trump. EU leaders are holding a special summit this week to discuss support for Ukraine and launching their own defence surge. 

With Paul Taylor, EPC's senior visiting fellow for the Europe in the World programme and podcast host, Amanda Paul Senior, Policy Analyst and Deputy Head of the Europe in the World Programme at the EPC and Svitlana Taran, Research Fellow at the EPC.

This Podcast is part of the EPC's Europe in the World Programme.

The Language of Power : Time for the EU to Walk the Talk on Ukraine Support

This week's episode of the Language of Power podcast focuses on Russia’s war in Ukraine, the war crimes committed by Putin’s forces, and efforts to hold those responsible accountable. A very special guest, Andriy Kostin, Ukraine’s former prosecutor-general, shares insights on evidence collection and legal action against Putin and his inner circle. As ceasefire negotiations unfold in Saudi Arabia, we’ll explore the role of transitional justice in securing a just and lasting peace.

With Paul Taylor, EPC's senior visiting fellow for the Europe in the World programme and podcast host and Andriy Kostin, Ukraine's former prosecutor general.


This Podcast is part of the EPC's Europe in the World Programme.

The Language of Power: How to ensure that justice isn’t the first casualty of a ceasefire in Ukraine

Senior visiting fellow Chris Kremidas-Courtney joins host Paul Taylor on The Language of Power to discuss how Europe must prepare for defense in an era of mass precision warfare—possibly without U.S. support. With Russia’s military buildup and ongoing aggression in Ukraine, how should Europe invest its growing defense budgets? They debate the relevance of tanks, fighter jets, and aircraft carriers in a world of drones, missiles, and uncrewed systems. They also examine key capabilities Europe has long relied on the U.S. and NATO for—such as command and control, space-based intelligence, logistics, and nuclear deterrence. With over 35 years in military and security, Kremidas-Courtney shares expert insights on adapting to this new era of warfare.

The Language of Power: How Europe should spend its extra defence budgets

In this episode of The Language of Power, EPC Podcast host and Senior Visiting Fellow Paul Taylor is joined by senior policy analyst Philipp Lausberg and policy analyst Svitlana Taran from the European Policy Centre to question how sanctions can become more impactful and effective in the long run. They also examine the political logic, economic consequences, and strategic dilemmas behind EU sanctions.  Why do they persist despite mixed results? What happens when unity among member states starts to fracture? And how should the EU respond if key allies, like the United States, shift their stance? 

The Language of Power: How to make EU sanctions more effective

In this episode of The Language of Power, the EPC’s Paul Taylor is joined by Amanda Paul and Demir Murat Seyrek to unpack Turkey’s evolving geopolitical role amid US attempts to end Russia’s war on Ukraine. As Turkey’s strategic relevance grows, so does concern over President Erdoğan’s crackdown on the democratic opposition, notably the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. The discussion explores the EU’s dilemma: engage Turkey as a vital NATO partner or stand firm on human rights? The episode also sheds light on Turkey’s relations with the US, Russia, and EU, the strength of its civil society and opposition movements, and whether a new EU-Turkey relationship beyond accession is both necessary and possible. 

The Language of Power: Talking Turkey

In this episode, host Paul Taylor explores how cryptocurrency, once seen as fringe “funny money,” is now influencing democracy and financial systems. Paul Taylor is joined by guests Joe Litobarski and Alice Stollmeyer to unpack how crypto works, its regulation or lack thereof, and its political implications, especially under the second Trump administration. Debating whether crypto is empowering citizens or undermining states, this episode shares critical insights into crypto’s risks, benefits, and what Europe should do in response.

The Language of Power: Crypto Democracy

In this episode of The Language of Power podcast, host Paul Taylor is joined by Mihai Chihaia, a policy analyst in the EPC’s Europe in the World programme, and Ionela Ciolan, a research officer at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, to unpack how Russia’s war on Ukraine has reshaped security in the Black Sea.  

From Ukraine’s use of naval drones to Turkey’s control of the straits and NATO’s limited naval presence, the discussion explores the shifting balance at sea, the EU’s new Black Sea Strategy, and what’s next for regional defence. 

The Language of Power: Murky Waters: Navigating the Future of Black Sea Security

The Language of Power – NATO’s summit in The Hague: a turning point or a phoney deal?

This week, host Paul Taylor is joined by Jamie Shea and Iana Maisuradze to unpack the outcomes of the 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague – the first under President Trump’s return. Was it a moment of renewed unity or a carefully choreographed illusion? From Article 5 ambiguity to the 5% defence spending pledge, the episode explores what the summit means for transatlantic credibility, European rearmament, arms control, and Ukraine’s NATO path.

Tune in for sharp insights, critical analysis, and behind-the-scenes perspectives on NATO’s most consequential gathering in years.

The Language of Power: NATO’s summit in The Hague: a turning point or a phoney deal?

In this episode of The Language of Power, host Paul Taylor explores the high-stakes geopolitical tug-of-war over Moldova, a small country caught between EU integration and Russian interference ahead of its crucial parliamentary elections on 28 September.

With insights from Tatiana Cojocari (WatchDog.MD Community) and Anastasia Pociumban (DGAP), the episode unpacks:

• Russia’s full-spectrum campaign of disruption in Moldova;
• EU and US support for Moldova’s democratic resilience;
• The role of Transnistria and recent gas cut-offs;
• The dilemma of decoupling Moldova’s EU path from Ukraine’s amid Hungarian opposition;
• The emergence of Alternativa and the potential election surprises.

The outcome in Moldova could shape the credibility of EU enlargement and the resilience of democracy on Europe’s eastern frontier.

This Podcast is part of the EPC's Europe in the World Programme.

The Language Of Power: Moldova's Moment

In this episode of The Language of Power, host Paul Taylor, Senior Visiting Fellow at the European Policy Centre, examines the EU’s recent high-level summits with China and Japan.

What can we learn from the frosty EU-China meeting in Beijing, which marked a tense 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations? And how does it compare to the broader, more cooperative outcomes of the EU-Japan summit held just a day earlier in Tokyo?

Joining the discussion are Ivano di Carlo, Senior Policy Analyst, and Elixabete Arrieta, Junior Policy Analyst, both from the EPC’s Europe in the World Programme. Together, they explore the current state of EU-Asia relations, the impact of the second Trump administration, and whether a distinct European approach in Asia is still possible.

The Language of Power Podcast: Europe’s two Asian summits - Beijing blues and Tokyo two-step

In this episode of the Language of Power, Paul Taylor unpacks a turbulent summer of transatlantic diplomacy, shifting alliances, and war fatigue.

From Putin’s headline-grabbing summit with Trump in Alaska to Zelenskyy’s tense Washington visit, the episode explores whether diplomatic showmanship can halt Russia’s brutal advance in Ukraine. While Russia escalates attacks and Ukrainians hold their ground, Europe is caught between appeasement and agency—offering concessions to Trump in hopes of securing continued US backing.

Together with Jim Townsend and Amanda Paul, the conversation dives into:

🔴 Trump’s erratic stance on Russia and missed sanctions deadlines

🔴 What Europe gets in return for bending to Washington’s demands

🔴 What credible security guarantees for Ukraine could look like

🔴 The broader implications for NATO and transatlantic trust

The Language of Power: Ukraine diplomacy

Is lasting peace finally within reach in the South Caucasus—or is the latest deal just another geopolitical powerplay?

In this episode of Language of Power, we unpack the US-brokered peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, signed at the White House on 8 August, and explore what it means for the region and the wider world.

Host Paul Taylor is joined by Matthew Bryza, former US Ambassador to Azerbaijan, and Viktorya Muradyan, Brussels-based public affairs consultant and former co-editor-in-chief of The European Correspondent. Together, they explore why President Trump succeeded where the EU faltered, and what’s at stake for Washington, Moscow, and Tehran.

We examine Armenia’s pivot away from Russia, Azerbaijan’s growing leverage despite its authoritarian record, and the prospects for regional transformation. Can Armenia’s government survive the fallout of losing Karabakh? Is EU membership a credible alternative? And how might Russia and Iran respond to losing influence in their own backyard?

EPC Language of Power - Armenia-Azerbaijan: the Trump Route to Where?

This week’s episode of The Language of Power explores whether Washington and Europe are on different planets when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Just a day after President Trump unveiled a 20-point peace plan, securing Netanyahu’s backing while warning Hamas of annihilation, European countries led by France and the UK joined Saudi Arabia in recognising a Palestinian state. But will either move change realities on the ground, or simply highlight diverging transatlantic approaches?

Host Paul Taylor speaks with Aaron David Miller, a veteran US peace negotiator, and Silvia Colombo of the NATO Defence College, about the prospects of a ceasefire in Gaza, Europe’s divided role in the Middle East, and whether recognition of Palestine is meaningful diplomacy or symbolic virtue-signalling.

Listen in for insight on what’s at stake for peace, power, and Europe’s influence in the region.

The Language of Power: The Trump plan and Europe recognising Palestine - two different planets?

In this episode of Language of Power, Paul Taylor explores the tragic story of over 19,500 Ukrainian children abducted by Russia since the 2022 invasion, with only around 1,600 returned. 

Featuring insights from Mykola Kuleba, founder of Save Ukraine, and Thordis Kolbrun Gylfadottir, a former Icelandic foreign minister who is the Council of Europe’s Special Envoy on the situation of the children of Ukraine, the discussion highlights the scale of the crisis, the international response — including ICC arrest warrants and Ukraine’s “Bring Kids Back” initiative — and the disturbing findings of a Yale report suggesting up to 35,000 children may have been taken, indoctrinated, and adopted under new identities.

The episode also examines Europe’s role in supporting affected children and the diplomatic efforts underway to bring them home.

The Language of Power: Ukraine's Kidnapped Kids

In this week's episode, host Paul Taylor explores how Europe can harness disruptive technologies to modernise its defence capabilities amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Joined by Chris Kremidas-Courtney and Jonas Singer, the discussion dives into the challenges of integrating civilian innovations into military systems, critiques the outdated “dual-use” concept, and highlights what Europe, especially Germany, must change to stay ahead in defence innovation.

The Language of Power: How innovation can turbocharge European defence

In this episode of The Language of Power, Paul Taylor, Senior Visiting Fellow at the European Policy Centre, explores the global backsliding of liberal democracy and asks whether it is losing its anchor.

Once seen as the inevitable “end of history,” democratic progress has stalled and reversed in many countries, including the United States, which now faces internal democratic erosion and a growing embrace of strongman regimes abroad. Joining Paul to discuss these trends and their implications are Amanda Sloat, Professor of International Relations at IE University and former Senior Director for Europe at the U.S. National Security Council, and Richard Youngs, Senior Fellow at Carnegie Europe and co-founder of the European Democracy Hub. Together, they examine the drivers of democratic decline, the role of technology and AI, prospects for resilience, and lessons from the Global South on sustaining democratic norms.

The Language of Power: Liberal democracy under threat around the world

In this episode of The Language of Power, Paul Taylor, Senior Visiting Fellow at the European Policy Centre, explores the dangers facing liberal democracy within the European Union and what can be done to counter them.

Last week, we examined the global assault on democracy – from socio-economic and technological forces driving public alienation to the rise of a new authoritarianism, with a few bright spots of democratic renewal. This episode turns the lens to Europe, where “illiberal democracy,” a term coined by Fareed Zakaria in 1997 and later embraced by Viktor Orbán, has spread from Hungary to Poland, Slovakia and EU-candidate Serbia. Elected governments have used majorities to weaken judicial independence, capture media, and roll back women’s and LGBTQ+ rights.

Joining Paul to discuss how these trends are reshaping European politics – and how liberal democracy can be defended – are distinguished Professor of Political Science Brigid Laffan and Liza Saris, Policy Analyst and Project Manager of the EPC’s Connecting Europe initiative.

The Language of Power: Liberal democracy under threat in the EU

In this episode of The Language of Power, Paul Taylor, Senior Visiting Fellow at the European Policy Centre, explores the dangers facing liberal democracy within the European Union and what can be done to counter them.

Last week, we examined the global assault on democracy – from socio-economic and technological forces driving public alienation to the rise of a new authoritarianism, with a few bright spots of democratic renewal. This episode turns the lens to Europe, where “illiberal democracy,” a term coined by Fareed Zakaria in 1997 and later embraced by Viktor Orbán, has spread from Hungary to Poland, Slovakia and EU-candidate Serbia. Elected governments have used majorities to weaken judicial independence, capture media, and roll back women’s and LGBTQ+ rights.

Joining Paul to discuss how these trends are reshaping European politics – and how liberal democracy can be defended – are distinguished Professor of Political Science Brigid Laffan and Liza Saris, Policy Analyst and Project Manager of the EPC’s Connecting Europe initiative.

This podcast is a part of the European Policy Centre's Europe in the World Programme.

What happens to liberal democracy when not only institutions, but also social and societal rights come under strain?
In a special edition of The Language of Power – recorded live at the margins of the EPC Annual Conference 2025 – Paul Taylor, Senior Visiting Fellow at the European Policy Centre, explores how threats to Europe’s democracy are evolving.
After examining global and EU-level democratic backsliding in previous episodes, this conversation turns to the erosion of employment protections, welfare rights, women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights, and the ways in which these pressures are reshaping European politics.
Paul is joined by:
• Laszlo Andor, former European Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs and Secretary-General of FEPS
• Georgia Mourad Brooks, CEO of The Nine and founder of the Fempower Initiative
Together, they discuss whether liberal democracy is losing its social foundations, and what Europe can do to protect them.

Special Edition: Liberal democracy's social, societal fabric under threat – Live from the EPC Annual Conference 2025

In this episode of The Language of Power, Paul Taylor, Senior Visiting Fellow at the European Policy Centre, examines the brutal diplomacy facing Ukraine as it navigates mounting pressure for a ceasefire on terms heavily tilted towards Russia.

Paul is joined by Amanda Paul, Deputy Head of EPC’s Europe in the World Programme and lead of the Ukraine project, and Lev Zinchenko, Advocacy Programme Coordinator at Razom for Ukraine.
Together, they discuss Ukraine’s limited diplomatic room for manoeuvre as US President Donald Trump pushes peace proposals that risk undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty and long-term security; the tactics President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is using to resist unacceptable concessions while preserving vital Western support; Europe’s role — and shortcomings — in shaping the negotiations; and whether a ceasefire is likely in the coming weeks or if the war is set to grind on.

Recorded as Ukraine faces another winter of war, the episode explores how diplomacy, military pressure and domestic politics intersect at a moment of profound uncertainty for Kyiv — and for Europe.

EPC Language of Power podcast - Ukraine’s diplomatic minefield

Analysts Janis A. Emmanouilidis, Corina Stratulat and Fabian Zuleeg shared their views on the results of the European Parliament elections at an EPC post-election briefing. 

Their in-depth analysis covered, among other things, the implications of the splintering of the European vote, the emergence of a new political alignment that goes beyond the traditional left-right paradigm, the different scenarios for a new coalition agreement in the Parliament, the race for the EU top jobs and what the election results in the UK mean for Brexit.

EPC Post-election analysis

In this episode, Jana Puglierin and Ulrike Esther Franke from the European Council on Foreign Relations argue that the EU must get serious about its foreign policy - and explain how France and Germany can lead the way.

The renewed Franco-German partnership and its potential to build a geopolitical Europe

The Commission has finally launched the New Pact on Migration. After years of gridlock, Commission Vice-President of Schinas and Commissioner Johansson seem confident that this set of proposals can bridge the gap between the member states and deliver real progress on EU migration reform.

Marie De Somer, Head of the EPC's Migration and Diversity programme, Olivia Sundberg Diez, EPC Policy Analyst, and Matthias Lücke, coordinator of the MEDAM project (Mercator Dialogue on Asylum and Migration)assess the New Pact's strengths and weaknesses. What is it that is 'new' about this proposal? What are the chances that it will lead to actual reform? And can the new solidarity mechanism convince the more sceptical member states?

The New Pact on Migration: Some answers, more questions

Feminist foreign policy is gaining momentum around the world. But what makes a foreign policy 'feminist'? And why is it important to re-evaluate defence and security policies through a decidedly feminist lens ? 

In this episode, I put these and other questions to Nina Bernarding, Director at the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy, and Shada Islam, Senior Advisor on Asia and Africa to the EPC and well-known commentator in Brussels on EU affairs. 

We also talked about intersectionality, the need for broader inclusion in foreign policy, what an EU feminist foreign policy could and should look like and our shared admiration for New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

*The photo depicts a woman holding the feminist movement sign during a demonstration marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in Istanbul on November 25, 2020.

Feminist foreign policy: What's in a name?

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