September 18, 2025: Russia Challenges Polish Airspace, Stalled Sanctions & Ukraine's Funding Plea

18/09/2025 14 min

Listen "September 18, 2025: Russia Challenges Polish Airspace, Stalled Sanctions & Ukraine's Funding Plea"

Episode Synopsis

This episode dives deep into The Russia Test," exploring how 19 Russian drones invading Polish airspace highlighted growing divisions within the EU. We unpack the delayed 19th EU sanctions package, noting how Trump's demands and Europe's energy reliance on Russia complicate firm responses, with EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas stating, "Russia is testing the West". Join us as Donald Trump’s controversial UK state visit unfolds—from royal banquets and poetic speeches at Windsor Castle where he likened the U.S.-U.K. relationship to "two notes in one chord" [4] to anti-Trump protests and Prime Minister Starmer's "humiliation" over broken steel tariff promises. We also examine the urgent challenge for Europe to finance Ukraine if US support "does essentially nothing", including the debate within the European Commission and among EU member states over a "creative utilization of the frozen Russian foreign assets". A critical look at the European Union struggling for a united front amidst geopolitical turmoil.

More episodes of the podcast Meanwhile in Europe