Two-thirds of EU Citizens Back UK Rejoining Bloc, Survey Finds

THE GUARDIAN: Poll also finds three quarters of people in Britain want closer ties, with majority accepting free movement

Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Activists hold EU flags during the weekly anti-Brexit and pro-EU protest in London’s Parliament Square this week, calling on the UK government to rejoin the EU. Photograph: Vuk Valcic/Sopa Images/Shutterstock
Two-thirds of EU citizens would back Britain rejoining the bloc, while most UK voters say Brexit has been bad for the issues they care about and want closer ties, including levels of integration – such as free movement – long seen as toxic, a survey has found.

Ten years after the Brexit referendum, the polling by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), a thinktank, found 66% of respondents across 15 countries felt UK membership was a very good, good or “neither a good nor a bad” idea.

The average comfortably exceeded those favouring a closer relationship (59%) or the status quo (46%). Support for rejoin ranged from lows of 56% in Bulgaria and 59% in France and Italy to highs of 75% in the Netherlands and Denmark.

Even voters for far-right and EU-critical parties said they would support closer relations between the bloc and the UK, including a majority of backers of Poland’s Confederation (71%), Germany’s AfD (58%) and France’s National Rally (58%). » | Jon Henley | Europe correspondent | Sunday, June 21, 2026

HALLELUJAH! – Mark

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Brexit isn’t working: British voters are ready for a European future »

UK Could Keep Special Pre-Brexit Terms If It Rejoined EU, Michel Barnier Says

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Former chief Brexit negotiator says staying out of euro and Schengen area would be ‘perfectly possible’

This screenshot is from this Guardian article. | Michel Barnier served as the EU’s former chief Brexit negotiator and twice as a European commissioner. Photograph: Magali Delporte/The Guardian
Michel Barnier has said Britain could regain its special terms if it rejoined the EU and claimed it was becoming clearer every day to the British people that they would be stronger in Europe.

In an interview before the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum next week, the EU’s former chief Brexit negotiator said he could not see any obstacle to the UK keeping the pound and remaining outside the passport-free Schengen travel area should the country rejoin.

The comments cast serious doubt on suggestions from some authoritative voices, including Poland’s foreign minister, that the UK could be forced to accept more difficult terms on re-entering the bloc.

They will be seen as a boost to those who are campaigning for the UK to rejoin the EU, with polling showing that support for rejoining is stronger when the old terms are on the table.

Under the EU treaties, all member states are expected to join the euro, apart from Denmark, which has a permanent opt-out. » | Daniel Boffey | Chief reporter | Thursday, June 18, 2026

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‘Cynical to get power’: Michel Barnier on Boris Johnson, Brexit and the EU’s future: Former negotiator believes in an unstable world, it is ‘perfectly possible’ the UK can rejoin the EU with old opt-outs »

EU and UK Announce Summit to Discuss ‘Reset’ in Post-Brexit Relations

THE GUARDIAN: Meeting was delayed over details of youth mobility scheme allowing under-30s freedom to work and study in each other’s territory

The EU and the UK have announced they will hold their next summit to discuss the “reset” in relations between London and Brussels on 22 July.

The summit, which will be held in Brussels, has been delayed several times, with talks over a youth mobility scheme allowing under-30s to work, travel or study in each other’s territory deadlocked in recent weeks, fuelling speculation the summit would be postponed until the autumn.

António Costa, the president of the European Council, confirmed the date at the G7 meeting in Evian on Tuesday.

“Close EU-UK cooperation is essential for our shared European security, resilience and prosperity,” he said. “We are working closely together to make our upcoming second summit on 22 July a success.”

The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, who could be facing a leadership challenge after this Thursday’s Makerfield byelection, said: “My Labour government is delivering on our promise to reset our relationship and put Britain at the heart of Europe.

“Together we will tackle the cost of living, boost jobs and create opportunities for young people.” » | Lisa O’Carroll, Senior correspondent | Tuesday, June 16, 2026

UK Pitched Single Market for Goods with EU in Pursuit of Deeper Trade Ties

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Top British official presented idea in Brussels but sources say it was rebuffed

This screenshot has been taken from this Guardian article. | UK government sources denied the EU had definitively rejected a single market for goods. Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA
The UK government pitched the creation of a single market for goods with the EU as the cornerstone of an ambitious attempt to reintegrate British trade back into Europe, the Guardian can reveal.

During recent visits to Brussels, the Cabinet Office’s top official on EU relations, Michael Ellam, presented the idea to deepen the UK’s economic relationship with the bloc.

But in a sign of the challenge Keir Starmer’s government faces in securing growth through a closer relationship with Europe, sources told the Guardian that EU officials rejected the idea – and instead suggested a customs union or economic alignment through the European Economic Area.

Those ideas are impossible under Starmer’s red lines. He said in 2024 the UK would not rejoin the EU, the single market or customs union in his lifetime. The EEA – a single market of 30 mostly EU countries – would also mean accepting free movement of people, another Labour red line.

UK government sources however, denied that the EU had definitively rejected a single market for goods and said it was among a range of options being discussed before a summit tentatively pencilled in for 13 July. » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels and Rowena Mason | Friday, May 22, 2026

UAE’s Ruling Royal Family Benefits from More Than €71m in EU Farming Subsidies

THE GUARDIAN: Al Nahyans’ control over farmland in Europe has meant they receive proportion of payments to farms

This screenshot was taken from this Guardian article. | Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi and president of the UAE, is at the helm of the Al Nahyan family. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images
The United Arab Emirates’ ruling royal family is benefiting from tens of millions in EU subsidies to grow crops destined for the Gulf, it can be revealed.

A cross-border investigation by DeSmog and shared with the Guardian found subsidiaries controlled by the Al Nahyans collected more than €71m (£61m) in six years for farmland it controls in Romania, Italy and Spain.

The Al Nahyan family is the second richest in the world, with an estimated wealth of more than $320bn (£235bn), mostly derived from the Emirates’ vast oil reserves.

Subsidies under the common agricultural policy (Cap) make up a third of the EU’s entire budget, paying out about €54bn each year to farmers and rural areas across the bloc.

But an unknown proportion of this ends up in the hands of foreign investors – including those controlled by autocratic states. » | Clare Carlile | Thursday, May 7, 2026

Sikorski: Polen lehnt beschleunigten EU-Beitritt der Ukraine ab

BERLINER ZEITUNG: Polens Außenminister Radosław Sikorski hofft auf eine geänderte Haltung Ungarns gegenüber der Ukraine. Für einen EU-Beitritt müsse das Land jedoch „alle Bedingungen erfüllen“.

Screenshot stammt aus diesem Zeitungsartikel. | Polens Außenminister Radosław Sikorski | ZUMA Press/imago
Der polnische Außenminister Radosław Sikorski hat einem verkürzten EU-Beitrittsverfahren für die Ukraine eine Absage erteilt. „In der (Europäischen) Kommission ist ein Vorschlag für eine Mitgliedschaft über eine Abkürzung aufgetaucht. Das wird nicht passieren“, sagte Sikorski dem Radiosender RMF FM.

Damit antwortete er laut der digitalen ukrainischen Zeitung New Voice of Ukraine auf eine Frage zur Position des designierten ungarischen Ministerpräsidenten Péter Magyar, der zuvor erklärt habe, er unterstütze einen beschleunigten Beitritt der Ukraine nicht. Sikorski sagte weiter: „Wir sind der Ansicht, dass die Ukraine alle Bedingungen erfüllen muss, genau wie wir es mussten.“ » | Anika Schlünz | Donnerstag, 16. April 2026

Orbán’s Defeat Is a 'Victory for the West' | Sir Bill Browder

Apr 13, 2026 | “It's a very dangerous thing, politically, to be so pro-Putin and that's been borne out by yesterday's election in Hungary.”

The historic defeat of Viktor Orbán in yesterday’s Hungarian election shows that Vladimir Putin’s efforts to exert soft power in the West are proving unpopular domestically, says head of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign Sir Bill Browder.

How Hungary’s Election Result Could Change Europe | The Economist

Apr 13, 2026 | How could Hungary’s election result reshape Europe? Matt Steinglass, The Economist’s Europe editor and Rosie Blau, co-host of The Intelligence podcast, discuss how Viktor Orban was ousted after 16 years in power, by Peter Magyar, the leader of the opposition, and what the resounding result means for Hungary’s economy, democracy and its relationship with Vladimir Putin and the EU.

Orban Loss in Hungary Is a Big Moment for the E.U. Here’s Why.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Prime Minister Viktor Orban has stymied the European Union for years, and particularly in recent months. Peter Magyar’s election could change that, if only so much.

Viktor Orban has long been a challenge and a frustration for the European Union, and his concession in Sunday’s Hungarian election was greeted by top E.U. leaders as a potential moment for sea change after years of clashes between Brussels and Budapest.

“Europe’s heart is beating stronger in Hungary tonight,” Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union’s executive arm, posted on social media as the votes came in.

Mr. Orban has often stood in the way of critical policy goals for the European Union, including blocking a loan to Ukraine and sanctions packages targeting Russia. His administration has long been viewed as a security risk at sensitive meetings because of its comparatively cozy ties to the Kremlin. With the victory of Hungary’s opposition party, led by Peter Magyar, that could begin to change.

Mr. Magyar and his Tisza party have struck a friendlier tone toward the European Union and NATO alike. As voting was underway, he pointed out that it was taking place on the anniversary of a 2003 vote in favor of Hungary joining the European Union — a potential signal that he wanted to break with Mr. Orban’s animosity toward Brussels.

Most immediately, the new leadership is widely expected to clear the path for a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine that has been frozen for weeks because of Mr. Orban’s objections.

“The election result is a game changer for Europe,” said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy. » | Jeanna Smialek | Reporting from Brussels | Monday, April 13, 2026

NYT: What Orban’s Defeat Means for the Rest of the World »

Spain's Pedro Sánchez Attacks Israel: "Suspend the Agreement with the EU."

Apr 11, 2026 | In his speech at the European Pulse Forum 2026 in Barcelona, Pedro Sánchez takes a clear stance on the Middle East crisis, calling on the European Union to suspend the Association Agreement with Israel for violations of international law.

EU Says It Supports Spain Whilst Refusing to Disagree Fully with Trump | DW News

Mar 5, 2026 | Spain has denied US claims from the United States that Madrid has agreed to cooperate with the US military. President Donald Trump had threatened to cut off trade links, after Spain refused to allow the United States to use its airbases to attack Iran. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Spain has now backed down.

Is Trump Destroying the Western Alliance? Will Europe Ally with China?

Feb 1, 2026 | As Donald Trump hits the EU with tariffs and threatens to colonize Greenland (an autonomous territory of NATO member Denmark), European leaders are improving relations with China and seeking new trade partners. Is this the end of the political West and the transatlantic alliance? Ben Norton explains.

Streit um Grönland: EU spricht von gefährlicher Eskalation | DW Nachrichten

Jan 7, 2026 | Europa reagiert zunehmend nervös auf die jüngsten Signale aus Washington: Laut einem Bericht soll die US Regierung erwägen, Grönland von Dänemark zu kaufen – und das Weiße Haus betont, alle Optionen blieben auf dem Tisch, sogar militärische. In Kopenhagen und Grönlands Hauptstadt Nuuk schrillen die Alarmglocken. Beide Regierungen verlangen ein dringendes Gespräch mit den USA, um Klarheit zu schaffen. Währenddessen stellt sich Europa demonstrativ hinter Dänemark und Grönland und warnt vor einer gefährlichen Eskalation.

Brexit Shock: 62% Now Want to Re-join EU

Jan 4, 2026 | A groundbreaking new YouGov poll reveals that 62% of British voters now want to re-join the European Union, marking a historic supermajority that completely destroys Keir Starmer's Brexit red lines. This is higher than pro-EU support in France and Italy, proving that Brexit Britain has turned decisively against leaving the EU.

I, for one, would welcome getting rid of the pound! Long-term, the value of the pound has gone down and down. In fact, since the end of World War One, the pound has approximately halved in value every ten years! Yes, its value goes up for a while now and then, but the long-term trend is DOWN! Not wanting to relinquish the pound sterling is no argument for not re-joining the European Union. — © Mark Alexander

Jeff Landry Backtracks on ‘Greenland Capture’ Remark after EU Backlash

Dec 24, 2025 | U.S. special envoy to Greenland Jeff Landry has pushed back against claims that Washington is planning to “conquer” or seize the Arctic island, following sharp backlash from Denmark and the European Union. Speaking after President Donald Trump’s renewed comments about Greenland’s strategic value, Landry said the administration wants dialogue with Greenlanders, not annexation. His remarks come after earlier statements suggesting the U.S. would work to bring Greenland closer to Washington, fueling diplomatic tensions. Denmark and Greenland’s leaders have stressed sovereignty and international law, warning against any attempt to redraw borders under the guise of security concerns.

These days, America is governed by a bunch of ****holes! The world would be so much better off today if the powers-that-be at the time had had the courage to lock up Trump for his crimes. Now, because they didn’t have the necessary courage, the free world is being led by the man they should have locked up: a criminal! — © Mark Alexander.

Trump Has Pulled the US Back from the ‘Role of World Leadership’ | Former Defence Secretary

Dec 28, 2025 | "It’s not an administration that has a lot of guideposts. It’s basically operating by the seat of their pants.”

Former US Secretary of Defence joins Times Radio’s Adam Boulton to discuss how issues around the strategy from the Trump’s administration, how Trump has “failed” to stand up to Putin during the Ukraine war and the escalating tensions between the US and Venezuela.

Trade Unions Leader Calls on Labour to Forge Closer Relationship with Europe

THE GUARDIAN: In an exclusive interview, the head of the TUC Paul Nowak says a customs union with the EU could boost the UK’s economy

Keir Starmer should seek out a far closer relationship with Europe, including a possible customs union, the head of the TUC has said.

Paul Nowak, TUC general secretary, said the British public recognised the need for a vastly improved trading arrangement and said it had become more urgent than ever because of the fickle nature of the relationship with Donald Trump’s United States.

In an interview with the Guardian, Nowak said Starmer must relentlessly focus on the cost of living to improve Labour’s standing in the polls, saying it was little surprise there was leadership chatter when the party was doing so badly. » | Jessica Elgot, Deputy political editor | Saturday, December 27, 2025

U.S. Bars 5 European Tech Regulators and Researchers

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Trump administration, citing “foreign censorship,” imposed travel bans on experts involved in monitoring major tech platforms.

The Trump administration is barring five prominent Europeans from the United States, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Tuesday, accusing them of being involved in online censorship of Americans, a claim they have disputed.

The action sharply escalated the administration’s fight against European efforts to monitor content on major social media platforms, including Elon Musk’s X as well as Facebook and Instagram, both owned by Meta.

The five include Thierry Breton, a former member of the European Commission whom the under secretary of state for public diplomacy, Sarah B. Rogers, called “a mastermind” of the Digital Services Act, a European law meant to oversee harmful or manipulative content online.

The European Union imposed its first penalty under the law this month, leveling a $140 million fine against X for practices that misled users, obscured advertisers and denied researchers access to internal practices — not, as Mr. Musk claimed, for refusing to censor content.

The others are prominent researchers with nonpartisan, nongovernment organizations in Europe that have fought disinformation, hate speech and other harmful content online. Mr. Rubio said in a statement that those targeted “have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to censor, demonetize and suppress American viewpoints they oppose.”

“These radical activists and weaponized NGOs have advanced censorship crackdowns by foreign states — in each case targeting American speakers and American companies,” he added. » | Steven Lee Myers | Tuesday, December 23, 2025

En français :

«Sanction scandaleuse», «solidarité totale»... La classe politique défend Thierry Breton, interdit de visa par les États-Unis : L’ancien commissaire européen a été sanctionné mardi par Washington pour son rôle dans la régulation des géants de la tech américaine. La France, par la voix de ses ministres Jean-Noël Barrot et Roland Lescure, a condamné cette décision. »

'Putin Was P*ssed' as EU Funding and Assassinations Threaten Russia's Invasion | Scott Lucas

Dec 23, 2025 | Putin's angry tirade at Europe nations in his national television address last week reflects his fears about Ukrainian attacks and ongoing European support for Kyiv, says Prof. Scott Lucas on Frontline.

Putin Angered by €90bn 'Message of Hope' for Ukraine from Europe

Dec 19, 2025 | "I don't think Russia will be happy with this message of hope."

Europe has secured €90bn worth of military backing for Ukraine to defend its territories against Russia in a "pivotal moment" for the war, says Estonian MP and chairman of Estonia's foreign affairs committee, Marko Mihkelson.