Ursula von der Leyen survived a motion of censure — but not without sustaining damage. In Strasbourg, tensions within her pro-European coalition burst into the open, with allies accusing her party of flirting with the far right (again) and warning they could soon turn on her.

In this bumper episode, host Sarah Wheaton — who made the journey to Strasbourg — brings you insight from behind the scenes in the European Parliament. She speaks with Gheorghe Piperea, the Romanian hard-right MEP who authored the motion; Socialist Vice President of the Parliament Katarina Barley; and senior EPP lawmaker Siegfried Mureșan.

And in a gripping, deeply personal dispatch from Kyiv, Veronika Melkozerova takes us inside the terrifying reality of life under relentless Russian bombardment — a must-listen glimpse into the emotional and physical toll of war.

You can read Veronika’s essay here: Reporter’s notebook: My deadly routine in Kyiv.