European Union in February 2026: the most important developments in politics
In February 2026, the European Union's politics were dominated by debate over Europe's strategic direction. On 10 February French President Emmanuel Macron warned that Europe could be swept away within five years without urgent reforms, citing economic pressure from China and political instability in the United States. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Europe should lose its nostalgia for the United States, and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for repeal of unnecessary national laws and for the mutual defence clause to be brought to life. At the Munich Security Conference, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told European allies that the two sides belong together, and European leaders left discussing greater strategic autonomy and defense capability.
Ukraine was the second theme. President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the EU to set a clear date for his country's accession, repeating the demand on 24 February when von der Leyen visited Kyiv for the fourth anniversary of the invasion. EU governments were reported to be skeptical about naming a date. Hungary blocked new sanctions on Russia and a Ukraine aid package at the foreign ministers' meeting on 23 February. Europeans joined talks in Geneva, and the Kremlin said afterwards that European participation made no sense.
The Middle East was the third theme. The EU condemned Israeli moves to expand control in the West Bank as violations of international law and welcomed the reopening of the Rafah crossing. The Commission attended Donald Trump's Board of Peace meeting as an observer, which drew criticism from France. Iran summoned EU ambassadors after the bloc listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, and Iran's parliament designated EU armies as terrorist organizations. On 28 February EU foreign ministers called an emergency meeting after a US-Israeli attack on Iran, urging maximum restraint.
The EU's own institutions also faced scrutiny. Belgian police, acting for the European Public Prosecutor's Office, raided Commission offices in an investigation of property sales. Christine Lagarde said she expects to complete her term as head of the European Central Bank, after reports of an early departure. Iceland announced a referendum on EU membership talks, and accession talks with Serbia stalled over judicial reforms.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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