Brussels Playbook Podcast The EU’s envoy to Ukraine on war, resilience — and Nordic walking
Feb 20, 2026
Katarína Mathernová, EU ambassador in Kyiv, talks life under bombardment, diplomatic work amid blackouts, resilience and even Nordic walking. Jan Cienski, POLITICO defense editor, explores Europe’s shifting deterrence debate, France’s nuclear posture and the costs of a European deterrent. Short, human stories meet big security questions in multiple candid conversations.
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Daily Work Under Sirens
- Kyiv life mixes routine work with air raid interruptions and freezing nights during energy-targeting attacks.
- Katarína Mathernová describes colleagues sleeping badly and suffering cumulative PTSD while continuing diplomatic duties.
Social Posts To Show Hardship
- The embassy uses social media to show solidarity and inform global audiences about civilian hardships.
- Mathernová recounts tents, soup kitchens and 350,000 people losing heat after a thermal plant was destroyed.
Firsthand Visits Move Public Perception
- Visits by European delegations create firsthand evidence that breaks the information fog about Kyiv's humanitarian crisis.
- Quick institutional responses, like a proposed €90 billion loan, show practical EU mobilization despite political limits.