College of Europe Podcast (Bruges)

In the fourth and final episode of the Young Diplomats Society Podcast Series of Victoria Amelina promotion, İrem İlksoy and Leah Tillmann-Morris interview Pavel Slunkin, a Belarusian former diplomat and visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), about Belarus's political trajectory, its relationship with Russia, and the prospects for the country's democratic opposition and exile community. Pavel shares his experience in Belarusian foreign ministry and his resignation from the MFA in 2020, EU's role in supporting Belarusians in exile, how the war in Ukraine has reshaped Belarus's position between Moscow and the West, and the growing role of AI in government decision-making processes.This podcast episode was recorded and produced by students at the College of Europe. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the College of Europe.

In this episode of the Young Diplomats' Society podcast, İrem İlksoy and Leah Tillmann-Morris are joined by Charles-Michel Geurts, former EEAS diplomat and EU ambassador to Ecuador, and current professor at the College of Europe. We begin with insights into how the internal work of EEAS compares to working abroad, and the strength that can be found in coordinating EU member states as a diplomatic force, as well as the journey of EU human rights diplomacy. Prof. Geurts also shares his experiences and reflections as ambassador to Ecuador from 2020-2024, particularly on efforts to combat the illegal cocaine trade and transnational organised crime, including drawing on European law-enforcement experience in tackling the Italian mafia to support responses to Ecuadorian drug gangs, while also navigating the tensions that can arise when EU diplomats engage with differing approaches to military involvement in law enforcement.This podcast episode is recorded and produced by students at the College of Europe. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the College of Europe.

In this episode of CSDP, Léonie Bontoux and Giulio Croce interview Philippe Perchoc, Director of the IRSEM Europe (the Research Institute of the French Ministry of Armed Forces). In this conversation, they discuss European interoperability, the evolution of the French nuclear doctrine following President Macron’s speech at Ile Longue on the 2nd of March 2026, how Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are countering Russian hybrid warfare, and the implementation of artificial intelligence in the field of security and defence.This podcast was recorded on the 7th of March 2026 and is produced by students at the College of Europe. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the College of Europe.

In this episode of CSDP, Giulio Croce interviews Teresa Coratella, Deputy Head of the European Council on Foreign Relations in Rome. In this conversation, they discuss Foreign Information Manipulation Interference (FIMI) and cognitive warfare, coming both from Russia and China and from the United States. FIMI is the frontier of hybrid warfare, with the ability to exploit the openness of democratic societies and manipulate public opinion. To be fit for the future, the EU and its Member States need to find a way to shield democratic processes from information manipulation. This podcast was recorded on the 10th of February 2026 and is produced by students of the College of Europe. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the College of Europe.

In Episode 2 of the Geopolitics of Heated Rivalry podcast, Professor Michele Chang and Luis Matos break down episodes four through six, where Shane and Ilya navigate panic attacks, tuna melts, and one very judgmental Canadian bird on their journey from awkward flirtation to cozy cottage romance.Beyond the drama, the discussion dives into queer politics, identity, and representation, exploring everything from heteronormative tropes to the very real pressures faced by queer individuals in Central and Eastern Europe. Guests Arthur Crisci and Coralie Ballieu bring sharp insights, humor, and just enough snark to keep the analysis as entertaining as the show itself.All rights to the books, series, and other referenced materials are reserved to their respective authors and creators.

In this episode, Professor Michele Chang, Director of Studies of the Master in Transatlantic Affairs at the College of Europe, joins Academic Assistants Coralie Balieu and Luís Matos, and politics student Louise Msalan to explore key moments in Russia–West relations through unexpected parallels with the show’s timeline. Recorded at the College of Europe, this conversation looks at how pop culture narratives can offer fresh perspectives on international relations and contemporary geopolitics.All rights to the books, series, and other referenced materials are reserved to their respective authors and creators.

From starting at the College of Europe, Cecilia Pellosniemi has worked at the European Parliament, supported the Syrian Women's Advisory Board at the UN, and navigated peace processes from Myanmar to the Middle East. She joins Leah Tillmann-Morris and Saskia Nijenhuis on this episode of Democracy Unfiltered to talk about peace processes, what meaningful women's participation in diplomacy actually looks like, and how change really happens inside the world's biggest multilateral institutions.

In the first episode of the Young Diplomats Society podcast, İrem İlksoy and Leah Tillmann-Morris interview Dr Nicholas Westcott about his diplomatic career and experience for over thirty years in the UK’s FCDO and the EU’s EEAS. Dr Westcott (Nick) gives his perspectives on what makes negotiations succeed or fail, what the UK and EU diplomatic services could learn from one another, the glamour and sacrifices of a diplomatic lifestyle, and how diplomacy is changing in the modern world.This podcast is produced by students of the College of Europe. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the College of Europe.”

In this short but insightful episode of CSDP, the first of the Victoria Amelina Promotion' season for the Security & Defence Society at the College of Europe, Giulio Croce and Léonie Bontoux sit with High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, the EU’s chief diplomat, on the occasion of her presence as the guest speaker of the Victoria Amelina’s Opening Ceremony.In this dynamic and optimistic conversation, they discuss a variety of topics, including her personal vision of the role of the ‘EU chief diplomat’ compared to being a national elected politician, her main advice to aspiring diplomats and passionate EU students in these complex geopolitical times, and political commitment in younger generations. This podcast was recorded on the 27th of October and is produced by students of the College of Europe. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the College of Europe.