Brussels Playbook
POLITICO’s must-read briefing on what's driving the day in Brussels, by Sarah Wheaton and Nicholas Vinocur.
Latest issues
Israel wants peace (with Brussels)
GOOD MORNING. It’s Wednesday and I’m Tim Ross, “just joking around” in the open doorway of the Brussels bubble’s private jet, hoping for a moment of closeness …
Point of Budapest Pride
HOWDY. Sarah Wheaton here with you for this Tuesday edition of Brussels Playbook, where we offer this cautionary tale of a failed effort to curry favor with …
What did Ursula tell Donald?!
GREETINGS, this is Nick Vinocur. Sarah Wheaton will be with you Tuesday. DRIVING THE DAY: TRUMP-VON DER LEYEN CALL THAT MUST HAVE BEEN ONE HELLUVA “GOOD” CALL: …
Border control boogie
HOWDY. Sarah Wheaton here for your Friday edition of Brussels Playbook. If your street is piled with trash after this week’s bumper industrial action, there’s some good …
Europe’s center left goes missing
GRIM NEWS TO WAKE UP TO: Two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington were shot dead in the early hours of this morning, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security …
Losing friends, fast
KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS: If you’re contemplating a new job as a world leader, like, say, Romania’s Nicușor Dan, what you probably want most is your …
Tractors return to chaotic Brussels
HOWDY. Sarah Wheaton here with you for this Tuesday edition of Brussels Playbook, where we’d just like to offer un gros merci to France for helping us …
EU exhales as centrists hold on in key elections
GREETINGS, and welcome to Brussels Playbook. I’m Nick Vinocur and we have a classic election special today with not one, not two, but three countries all reporting national …
So. Much. Voting.
HOWDY. Sarah Wheaton here, bringing you this Friday edition of Brussels Playbook, helping you get ready for a weekend of votes in Romania, Poland, Portugal and, of …
Europe’s Trump report card is in
GOOD MORNING. I’m Gabriel Gavin, bringing you today’s dose of politics and policy in Brussels. It may be unseasonably sunny, but dark clouds have gathered over the …
VDL’s Pfizergate reckoning
GOOD MORNING. Spare a thought for Belgium’s Eurovision hopeful Red Sebastian, who was eliminated last night, despite being hotly tipped to do well, on his 26th birthday. “Life …
Back of the line
HOWDY. Sarah Wheaton here with you for this Tuesday’s Brussels Playbook, where we are getting into the spirit of the season. Yes, folks, the Eurovision Song Contest …
Zelenskyy puts ball in Putin’s court
A NEW ERA FOR D.C. PLAYBOOK: Big news from POLITICO’s flagship morning newsletter in Washington: Today we launch The Playbook Podcast, hosted by Managing Editor Jack Blanchard and newly …
Putin parades his influence
HOWDY. Sarah Wheaton here, welcoming you to this Friday edition of Brussels Playbook. Amid all these celebrations of the end of World War II, we’ve been thinking …
VDL’s Victory Day vision
SCOOP — WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING: Donald Trump announced he’d be holding a “Big News Conference” at 4 p.m. Brussels time “concerning a MAJOR TRADE DEAL WITH …
Of popes and politicians
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING — INDIA STRIKES PAKISTAN: India fired missiles into Pakistani-controlled territory in several locations overnight, killing at least 19 people, AP reports. India said …
Trump effect boosts Europe’s nationalists
HOWDY. Sarah Wheaton bringing you this Tuesday edition of Brussels Playbook. Just putting this X post from Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico here as the journalistic equivalent …
MAGA wins in Romania
GREETINGS, this is Nick Vinocur back in the Playbook saddle after a quick jump over to D.C. I was lucky enough to sit in on the White …
Romania’s post-truth poll
HOWDY. Sarah Wheaton here. We’re kicking off Friday’s edition of Brussels Playbook with a new vocabulary word: Loomered [ˈluːmɚd]: To be fired by U.S. President Donald Trump …
Ukraine-US deal done
GOOD THURSDAY MORNING. Suzanne Lynch with you on this fine May Day bank holiday. As much of Europe shuts up shop for the day, the big question …