EU leaders face off over the budget

EU leaders meet today for their first chance to beef about the budget face to face. On the show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton dive deeper into why leaders look increasingly unlikely to reach an agreement on the EU’s next money pot by December. Plus, Zoya obtained a document revealing deepening relations between Russia and Slovakia. Will that be a cause for concern around the Council table? Next up, Zoya spoke with Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius on stage yesterday. His main message? Europe should boost its defense capabilities and stop relying so heavily on U.S. military support. And finally, ECB President Christine Lagarde plugged her upcoming memoir at a press conference ... is she allowed to do that?  If you have a question or comment, don’t hesitate! message us on our WhatsApp here (https://api.whatsapp.com/send/?phone=32491050629&text=Hey+Zoya+and+crew+&type=phone_number&app_absent=0)  or at +32 491 05 06 29. Articles mentioned in this episode: • “How to watch the EU leaders’ summit like a pro. (https://www.politico.eu/article/how-to-watch-the-eu-leaders-summit-like-a-pro/) ” • “Slovakia deepening ties with Russia, document shows. (https://www.politico.eu/article/how-russia-plans-to-revive-its-ties-with-slovakia/) ” • “Lagarde’s book plug raises questions about ECB ethics standards. (https://www.politico.eu/article/lagarde-book-ethics-question-advertisement/) ” • “Weakened Macron and Merz sink hopes of a quick EU budget deal. (https://www.politico.eu/article/weaken-macron-and-merz-sink-hopes-of-a-quick-eu-budget-deal/) ” This episode was produced by Saga Ringmar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices)