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 4: 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)

Episode 5: Making enlargement work: What needs to change in the EU?

The European Commission has recently presented its pre-enlargement policy reviews with proposals on qualified majority voting, rule of law safeguards, and gradual integration. Will these proposals help accelerate European integration? And how do we remove the barriers that stand in the way of making enlargement a success?

Host: Mariam Khotenashvili, Executive Director, TEPSA

Guests:

• H.E. Daniela Morari, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the EU
• Funda Tekin, Director, Institut für Europäische Politik (IEP) & Academic Coordinator of InvigoratEU
• Pernille Rieker, Director, Arena Centre for European Studies & Coordinator of re-Engage

Episode 6: Do EU social rules improve citizens’ lives?

When candidate countries adopt EU social rules, do citizens’ lives actually change? What does it take to build resilient societies on the path to EU membership? This final episode looks at social cohesion in candidate countries and asks how the EU can help aspiring members move from passing laws to actually implementing them.

Host: Mariam Khotenashvili, Executive Director, TEPSA

Guests:

• Séamus Boland, President of the European Economic and Social Committee
• Levan Kakhishvili, Postdoctoral Researcher, ETH Zurich
• Nino Abzianidze, Senior Researcher, PMCG Georgia