Podcasts / Vienna Coffee House Conversations with Ivan Vejvoda

In this episode of the Vienna Coffee House Conversations, Ivan Vejvoda welcomes Leszek Jażdżewski, a journalist, political analyst, and editor-in-chief of Liberté!. Their discussion explores the growing influence of populist leaders, the European Union’s struggle to address democratic backsliding, and how the return of Donald Trump to the US presidency could reshape transatlantic relations. Jażdżewski provides insights into Poland’s shifting political landscape, the ideological battle between liberal and illiberal forces, and the role of media in shaping democratic discourse. He also examines the broader European response to the Russo-Ukrainian War, the future of European security policy, and Poland’s upcoming presidency of the EU Council.

Leszek Jażdżewski is a Polish journalist, editor, and political analyst specializing in European politics, democracy, and media. He founded Liberté! in 2008 as a platform to promote liberal values, counteract authoritarianism, and encourage open debate. He also created Freedom Games, an influential intellectual forum that brings together policymakers, journalists, and academics to discuss the key challenges facing democratic societies. Jażdżewski has been recognized as a European Young Leader by Friends of Europe and was appointed a Policy Fellow at the School of Transnational Government at the EUI and a 2019/20 Europe's Futures Fellow of the IWM and ERSTE Foundation. He frequently writes and speaks on democracy, governance, and media influence in the digital age.

In this episode, the conversation explores the potential impact of Donald Trump’s presidency on Europe, the security challenges facing the EU, and the rise of illiberal democracy. Zsuzsanna Szelényi provides insight into the ideological shifts within Europe, the increasing influence of populist leaders like Viktor Orbán, and the structural weaknesses in the European Union’s response to democratic backsliding. She discusses how Trump’s unpredictability has prompted European leaders to rethink their security and defense strategies, yet divisions in threat perception among EU countries remain a challenge.

Zsuzsanna Szelényi is a Hungarian politician, democracy expert, and director of the CEU Democracy Institute Leadership Academy. She was a founding member of Fidesz but later distanced herself from Viktor Orbán’s politics. She worked for the Council of Europe for 15 years, advising governments on conflict resolution and democratic governance. In 2014, she returned to Hungarian politics as an opposition MP. Her book, Tainted Democracy (2022), examines Orbán’s consolidation of power and the erosion of democratic institutions in Hungary. Szelényi was also a 2018/19 Europe's Futures Fellow of the IWM and ERSTE Foundation.

In this episode of the Vienna Coffee House Conversations podcast, Ivan Vejvoda speaks with Stefan Lehne, Senior Fellow at Carnegie Europe and former Austrian diplomat, to examine the challenges facing the European Union amid a period of persistent crisis. They explore the EU’s response to a series of disruptions, including the financial crisis, Brexit, the pandemic, and Russia’s war in Ukraine, and discuss the broader implications of these events for European integration and global positioning.

Stefan Lehne is a Senior Fellow at Carnegie Europe, focusing on EU institutions, reforms, and foreign policy. His career spans multiple senior positions, including director general for political affairs at the Austrian Ministry for European and International Affairs, and he has extensive experience in multilateral diplomacy. Lehne has served in Austria’s missions to the United Nations and the European Union and was involved in Austria’s EU accession negotiations. Lehne was a 2018/19 Europe's Futures Fellow of the IWM and ERSTE Foundation.

In this episode of the Vienna Coffee House Conversations, Ivan Vejvoda hosts Rosa Balfour, Director of Carnegie Europe, for a deep discussion on the implications of Donald Trump’s return to the presidency for Europe. They explore how Europe has adjusted—or failed to adjust—since Trump’s initial term, focusing on key challenges in trade, defense, and foreign policy. Balfour outlines the vulnerabilities Trump’s policies exploit, including Europe’s dependence on the U.S. for security and energy and its fragmented approach to strategic autonomy.

Rosa Balfour is the director of Carnegie Europe, specializing in European politics, institutions, and foreign and security policy. Her current research examines the interplay between domestic politics and Europe's global role. In addition to her role at Carnegie Europe, Balfour serves as an advisor to Women in International Security Brussels (WIIS-Brussels) and is an associate fellow at LSE IDEAS. She is also an honorary patron of the University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES) and was appointed to the Scientific Advisory Council of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs in 2024.

In this episode of the Vienna Coffee House Conversations, host Ivan Vejvoda welcomes Nicole Koenig, Head of Policy at the Munich Security Conference, to discuss the evolving landscape of European security. Against the backdrop of the Russo-Ukrainian War and other global crises, they explore how the European Union has responded to these challenges with initiatives that include joint defense spending, the inclusion of Finland and Sweden in NATO, and the establishment of a European Defense Union. Koenig highlights the complexities of fostering deeper EU-NATO cooperation and overcoming political, legal, and financial barriers to a more integrated defense framework.

Nicole Koenig is Head of Policy at the Munich Security Conference, where she oversees the development of the conference’s strategic agenda and policy initiatives. She has extensive experience in EU foreign and security policy, particularly in the area of Franco-German cooperation. Prior to joining the MSC, she served as Deputy Director of the Jacques Delors Centre at the Hertie School in Berlin, where she focused on European integration and security issues. Koenig has held research positions at several prominent think tanks, including the Centre for European Policy Studies and the European Policy Centre, and has published widely on topics related to EU defense, NATO, and transatlantic relations. She frequently provides analysis for European and international media. She was a 2019/20 Europe's Futures Fellow of the IWM and ERSTE Foundation.

In this episode of the Vienna Coffee House Conversations, Ivan Vejvoda is joined by historical scientist and friend of the show Luke Cooper to discuss Ukraine’s resilience in the face of the ongoing Russian invasion and the broader geopolitical challenges facing the country. Cooper shares insights from his recent visits to cities like Kyiv, Dnipro, and Lviv, noting the surprising resilience and sense of normalcy among Ukrainians amidst conflict. He emphasizes the social and economic impacts of the war, including widespread displacement and the steadfast resolve of those in Russian-occupied regions awaiting liberation.

Luke Cooper is a historical sociologist and political scientist specializing in conflict, democracy, and European studies, currently serving as an Associate Professorial Research Fellow at the Conflict and Civicness Research Group at the London School of Economics (LSE). He directs the PeaceRep Ukraine Program and co-founded Another Europe is Possible, an advocacy group focused on progressive European politics. Additionally, Cooper is an established podcaster and author, whose most recent book, Authoritarian Contagion: The Global Threat to Democracy (2021) examines the global rise of authoritarianism.