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Europe’s biggest military powers are meeting today.
The group of countries is called the E5 (not to be confused with the E3) and consists of France, Germany, the U.K., Italy and Poland. They’ll be preparing for the NATO summit next month and discussing support for Ukraine. Hosts Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart discuss what smaller meeting formats like this mean for the EU as a whole.
Also on the show, we discuss the new EU agreement on migrant return laws. Under the new rules, people ordered to leave EU territory could be transferred to detention centers in countries outside the bloc. It’s a highly contentious plan, but it’s moving ahead at a fast pace, with countries already floating potential countries to house these so-called “return hubs.”
And finally, we’ve spoken on the show before about the heatwave that’s hit Europe. Now we dig into a story by senior climate reporter Zia Weise on why it’s so warm.
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**A message from Team Poland: As a partner of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 in Gdańsk, we thank all strategic thinkers for inspiring economic dialogue. Team Poland brings together six development institutions, connecting companies and investors to unlock ideas and capital, and drive sustainable growth across Europe. Find us at: www.teampoland.eu**