Policy Voices | Overcoming polarisation: defence in the time of distrust

A podcast series by Debating Europe, Friends of Europe’s citizen engagement unit.

Building social cohesion. Restoring democratic trust. Bridging divides.

As Europe faces rising polarisation – on politics, climate, technology, and trust in public institutions – decision-makers are under growing pressure to respond with solutions that are effective, inclusive, and forward-looking.

Overcoming polarisation: paths to common ground is a podcast series that cuts through the noise to explore the drivers of division and the pathways to unity. Produced by Debating Europe, part of Friends of Europe, this series brings together a wide range of voices – policymakers, civil society leaders, business innovators – highlighting findings from our latest research project, Voices for Choices.

Each episode focuses on core issues like economic inequality, digital disruption, and climate anxiety, offering actionable insights and policy-relevant perspectives. The aim? To move beyond analysis and spotlight scalable solutions that strengthen democratic resilience and rebuild trust across European societies.

If you’re a policymaker, funder or stakeholder committed to bridging divides and shaping Europe’s future, this podcast is for you.

Listen now. Engage with the voices shaping tomorrow’s common ground.

In this episode, we’re discussing distrust, disinformation and a dissonant future in the EU, NATO and Ukraine.

Host Sabina Șancu is speaking with Eugene Slavnyi, news director at United24 Media Ukraine, the biggest English-speaking outlet covering all things Ukraine, about trust within communities, combating Russian disinformation by mastering social media narratives and the importance of preventing war in order to protect tomorrow’s climate.

Former host Catarina Vila Nova sat down with Jamie Shea, Senior Fellow for Peace, Security and Defence at Friends of Europe, to discuss building a European defence project and who will take charge of it, in light of intricate regional relationships and a complicated rapport with the United States.

You can find out more about Debating Europe‘s insights through their latest report, Voices for Choices.

If you want to comment on this episode you can send us an e-mail: press@friendsofeurope.org