European federalists renew push for United States of Europe

A group of former EU leaders and officials, including Romano Prodi and Guy Verhofstadt, published a declaration calling for a federal Europe. They argue that the EU must overcome unanimity voting, reform treaties, and build a common defence and fiscal union to survive current crises. The push comes as Europe seeks greater strategic autonomy from the US, per Foreign Policy.

Bottom line — The 70th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome in March 2027 is set as a deadline for treaty reform.

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• The declaration, adopted in Ventotene on 30 August 2026, was signed by over 30 figures including former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and ex-Prime Ministers of Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, and Romania, per El País.
• The signatories urge activating the EU treaties' 'passerelle' clauses to expand majority voting, especially in foreign policy and the EU budget, and to launch a treaty revision under Article 48, per El País.
• Foreign Policy reports that European defence integration is accelerating: talks are advanced on a new EU-UK defence pact, likely signed in May, and a European Rearmament Bank is being proposed to finance only European arms contracts.
• The US has historically discouraged independent European defence structures, from the 1956 Suez crisis to Madeleine Albright's 'three Ds' in 1998, but the Trump administration's threats have turned former Atlanticists into 'Gaullists', per Foreign Policy.
• European intelligence agencies are now cautious about sharing secrets with US counterparts, fearing leaks or political use, and countries like Portugal, Italy, and Denmark are reconsidering US-made weapons purchases, per Foreign Policy.
• The Wikipedia article notes that the idea of a federal Europe has deep roots, from Victor Hugo in 1849 to Winston Churchill's 1946 Zurich speech, and is supported by pan-European movements like Volt Europa and the Union of European Federalists.
• The US European Command (EUCOM) continues to hold conferences and exercises with allies, but the Foreign Policy analysis suggests Europe is moving toward self-reliance, with EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas stating 'the free world needs a new leader'.

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