The Eurofile

Max and Donatienne discuss recent comments by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declaring the end of ‘Pax Americana’. Then, they preview a high-stakes European Council meeting, where leaders will discuss the Mercosur trade deal and the European Commission’s proposal to leverage frozen Russian assets to provide a crucial loan to Ukraine.  Finally, they turn to a conversation with Dr. Thu Nguyen, Acting Co-Director of the Jacques Delors Centre, to discuss the state of democracy in the EU.  (00:00) Intro (02:05) Friedrich Merz ‘Pax Americana’ Speech (05:19) Frozen Russian Assets Loan (13:13) Mercosur Trade Deal (19:00) Interview with Thu Nguyen   Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts

Max Bergmann sits down with Abraham Newman and Kristine Berzina for a rapid-reaction conversation about the newly released U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS), its implications for the European security landscape, and the key clash at the forefront of transatlantic tech relations.  The live video episode was recorded on Monday, December 9, 2025. Abraham Newman is the director of the BMW Center for German and European Studies and John Powers Chair in International Business Diplomacy at Georgetown University. Kristine Berzina is a senior fellow for U.S. Defense and Transatlantic Security at the German Marshall Fund in Washington DC.   Watch the live event on demand here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFS5L81uzfA    Reach out to our team with any questions affecting Europe, or to share feedback on the show. We want to hear from you!   Email: [email protected]     X:   @csiserep       Bluesky: @erep.csis.org

Max and Donatienne discuss the latest peace negotiations to secure an end to the war in Ukraine.  They also cover ongoing talks about implementation of the US–EU trade deal, after US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with their EU counterparts in Brussels. Then, they turn to a conversation with Cecilia Malmström, former EU Commissioner for Trade and Home Affairs, to discuss the European Union’s trade agenda.  (00:00) Intro  (00:56) Ukraine Peace Negotiations  (11:50) Lutnick and Greer in Brussels  (18:50) Interview with Cecilia Malmström    Learn more:   Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts

Max speaks with Michael Kimmage about his immediate reactions to the new 28-point peace plan for Ukraine, and the rapid-fire diplomacy taking place in response to its release. This conversation was recorded on November 24, 2025. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts

Max and Donatienne discuss a recent vote in the European Parliament where the center-right European People’s Party voted with the far right to approve cuts to EU green rules. Then, they turn to a conversation with Federico Steinberg and Nicolas Véron about the euro and Europe's economic future. (00:00) Intro (00:42) European Parliament vote on EU green rules (17:10) Interview with Federico Steinberg and Nicolas Véron Learn more:   Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts  Is a New Era Emerging for the Euro? | The Eurofile