Europe has entered a new geopolitical era. Enlargement, security and resilience are no longer separate debates. They are the same conversation. InvigoratEU Talks is a podcast series born from the Horizon Europe-funded project, InvigoratEU, bringing together leading scholars and policy-makers from across Europe to do exactly what the name suggests: re-invigorate EU enlargement and neighbourhood policy in a changing world.
Over six episodes, we move from research to real conversation. We unpack the EU’s policy toolbox. We confront the realities of Russian interference and Chinese and Turkish influence in the neighbourhood. We examine how democracy support works on the ground. And we explore the social dimension of enlargement, asking whether formal alignment with EU standards translates into real social cohesion and effective protection of rights. Ultimately, we ask… What does a more resilient Europe actually look like and how do we get there?
Episode 1: Is the EU ready for geopolitical enlargement?
In the first episode of InvigoratEU Talks, we turn to the enlargement policy toolbox. What does geopolitical enlargement actually mean in practice? And can the current enlargement methodology still deliver in a context shaped by war, security pressures, and renewed competition among great powers?
Host: Mariam Khotenashvili, Executive Director, TEPSA
Guests:
- Vsevolod Chentsov, Ambassador of Ukraine to the EU,
- Funda Tekin, Director, Institut für Europäische Politik (IEP) & Academic Coordinator of InvigoratEU
- Frank Schimmelfennig, Professor, ETH Zurich
Episode 2: Can enlargement make Europe safer?
In the second episode of InvigoratEU Talks, we explore the links between the EU’s security and defence policies and the enlargement process. Has enlargement effectively become part of Europe’s security strategy? And do policy-makers and European citizens fully appreciate what is at stake?
Host: Mariam Khotenashvili, Executive Director, TEPSA
Guests:
- Petras Auštrevičius, Member of the European Parliament, Renew Europe
- Tyyne Karjalainen, Research Fellow, Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA)
Episode 3: Can the EU still promote democracy in a geopolitical age?
Democracy support has been a cornerstone of EU enlargement and neighbourhood policy. Yet, today it is increasingly intertwined with geopolitical competition. In this third episode of InvigoratEU Talks, we ask: has the EU become better at promoting democracy, or has geopolitics changed the rules of the game?
Host: Mariam Khotenashvili, Executive Director, TEPSA
Guests:
- Petar Markovic, Ambassador of Montenegro to the EU
- Giselle Bosse, Professor, Maastricht University and TEPSA Board Member
- Richard Youngs, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Europe and TEPSA Board Member
Episode 3: Are Russia and China losing ground or just changing tactics?
What are Russia and China trying to achieve in the Western Balkans and Eastern Neighbourhood? And how does that affect candidate countries’ path to EU membership? This episode of InvigoratEU Talks explores the impact of Russia and China’s political, economic, and social influence on the European continent.
Host: Mariam Khotenashvili, Executive Director, TEPSA
Guests:
- Thijs Reuten, Member of the European Parliament, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
- Marko Todorović, Senior Researcher, European Policy Centre (CEP) Belgrade
- Matteo Bonomi, Head of Europe Programme, Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI)
