The best of POLITICO’s coverage selected by Editor-in-Chief Jamil Anderlini.

By JAMIL ANDERLINI

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Dearest readers,

Welcome to another selection of the finest POLITICO coverage from Europe. Our team of plucky reporters and editors had another brilliant week of scoops, insight and analyses. We brought you everything from late-night coverage of the European Council deliberations on the latest round of Russian sanctions to a beautiful feature article told from the perspective of a molar. 

We shone a spotlight on rumbling questions over Vladimir Putin’s health and we published a moving Westminster Insider podcast on the lingering impact of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. 

It is also becoming clear that we are in for a long, drawn-out conflict in Ukraine as Russia intensifies its invasion in the east and south of the country. The big question we are asking is whether the surprising European unity of recent months can actually hold together.

As the queen of England celebrates 70 years on the throne, monarchists and republicans inside our newsroom debated the various merits of medieval and modern political systems. Look out for some of the results of that discussion in the future. 

Stay tuned next week for the finest coverage of the most important political stories in Europe.

Bon Weekend!

Jamil

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Germany loses EU sway as Eastern Europe turns away over Russia

Not only did we have top-notch coverage of the EUCO summit itself, including scoops on the final deal on oil sanctions, we also produced this standout piece on the dynamics behind the scenes. Drawing on a wide range of reporting, this piece identified a key shift in power in the EU before any of our competitors. Essential reading. Read the story.

Emmanuel Macron: The movie (president)

Often the best approach to self-important politicians is satire, and we brilliantly took Macron down a peg or two with a pastiche film review on the president’s Netflix-style propaganda machine. Great kicker too. Read the story.

Amid Commission rebellion, von der Leyen defends Polish recovery cash plan

POLITICO was miles ahead of the curve on this story about top-level dissent simmering against European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over her handling of funds for Poland. Some of her most powerful commissioners accuse her of putting political expedience ahead of rule of law. Again. Read the story.

Olaf Scholz’s Kaiser complex leaves Ukraine in the lurch

Punchy piece combining great historical knowledge and sharp analysis to illuminate why Scholz has been reluctant to take a leading role in helping Ukraine with military aid. Read the story.

Only Black Sea ships will allow Ukraine to feed the world again

Very deeply reported story with a wide range of voices that takes a clear-eyed look at how difficult it will be to move Ukraine’s grain without access to ports. Read the story.

Greens and rig workers call a truce in Europe’s oil capital

We spotted an unlikely and underreported alliance forming in Europe’s oil capital between Scotland’s rig workers and environmentalists. With global politics seemingly in a spiral toward ever more strident division, this story of thawing tribalism was both fascinating and cautiously uplifting. Read the story.

YOUR WEEKEND PLAYLIST

EU Confidential: Russian oil ban — Hungarian hold-up — EU ‘ghostwriters’

We unpack EU leaders’ deal to ban Russian oil imports — with some notable exceptions after Hungary played hardball. And author Tommaso Pavone, who is assistant professor of law and politics at the University of Arizona and visiting researcher at the ARENA Center for European Studies at the University of Oslo, tells the story of the lawyers who turned “ghostwriters” to make the EU a legal reality. POLITICO’s Andrew Gray, Matthew Karnitschnig, Lili Bayer and David M. Herszenhorn assess this week’s EU summit, where leaders struck a late-night agreement to ban Russian oil — but only after making more concessions to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. You’ll hear what Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, French President Emmanuel Macron and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas told POLITICO about the summit — and about whether the EU’s sanctions are having an impact on Vladimir Putin. Listen to the episode.

Westminster Insider: Victims of The Troubles: A year of turmoil in Northern Ireland

Host Ailbhe Rea takes us on her year-long journey covering the British government’s contentious efforts to find peace and reconciliation within Northern Ireland’s war-torn past. She travels back to her homeland to hear the emotive testimony of the families of some of those murdered during The Troubles, and their anger at Westminster proposals for an effective amnesty for those responsible. But she hears too from Conservative MPs — and former soldiers — like Johnny Mercer and Mark Francois, who say pursuing elderly ex-servicemen for alleged crimes from many decades past is vindictive and wrong. And she speaks to Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis, who last week published fresh legislation he claims will finally bring some closure to one of the darkest chapters of modern British and Irish history. Listen to the episode.

DECLASSIFIED

Angry? Got cake? Then why not attack the Mona Lisa! Read this week’s Declassified column to find out more.

Caption competition

“Agree on the sanctions package or I swear to god …”

Can you do better? Email [email protected] or on Twitter @pdallisonesque

Last week we gave you this photo:

 Thanks for all the entries. Here’s the best from our postbag — there’s no prize except for the gift of laughter, which I think we can all agree is far more valuable than cash or booze.

“You must introduce me to your barber,” by Christopher Couples.

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