Resolution | A European foreign and security policy in a Changing World

The Federal Committee of the Union of European Federalists, convening in Budapest, Hungary, on 16 November 2024:

Considering

1. the ongoing transformation of the international system from an American-led unipolarism to a fully-fledged multipolarism, where a growing role is played by great continental powers,
2. the concerning situation in the European international context where Russia, beyond the invasion of Ukraine for no other reason than to reconstitute its past empire, is openly aggressive towards the European Union and threatens European security,
3. The new political phase opened by the election of the new president and the consolidated tendency within US Foreign Policy to focus on its interests in Asia-Pacific, leaving to the Europeans more responsibilities in their defense,
4. The NATO primacy within European defense under the USA leadership and the reluctance of Member States to transfer other areas of sovereignty to the European Union, in particular to establish credible common integrated foreign, security and defense policies
5. The recent report made by the former president of the ECB, Mario Draghi, stated clearly how central are Foreign and Security policy fostering competitiveness and democratic legitimacy. That is essential protecting vital European interests in the world.

Alarmed by the tragic absence of the European Union on the world stage, as the following examples:

• by the military stalemate in eastern Ukraine, the ongoing aerial attacks in the whole country and the need to obtain military support from the European Union and the United States,
• by the dramatic phase lived by the Middle East, following the brutal terrorist attack made by Hamas on 7th October 2023 and by the disproportionate Israeli military response against Gaza, causing a major humanitarian crisis,
• by the recent campaign promoted by Israel in Lebanon, where both ground and air strikes and by the following attacks made by Iran against Israel. The enduring crisis risks constitute a dangerous military escalation in whole Middle East,
• by the regional instability of the Aden Gulf region where local militias are endangering vital commercial connections towards the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.

Concerned

• by the divisions emerged among the member states within Foreign and Security matters, despite the efforts of the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy,
• by the growing threats related to cybersecurity, linked to international tensions or direct part of hybrid warfare,
• by the uncertain profile of the EU Commissioner of Defense role which, on many extends, is going to overlap with the HP/VP for Foreign and Security Policy,
• by the remaining inefficiencies within the Defense industry and by the reluctancy of the decision-makers to share vital information essential to conduct better policies and organise an efficient European defence industry,
• by divisions raised among the EU member states on key international crises, such as Ukraine and Middle East,
• by the stalemate in the EU treaty reform, especially after the growing international tension on European soil and within the Mediterranean Sea,

Therefore, the Union of the European Federalists

1. reaffirms that Ukraine's struggle for freedom constitutes an essential element for the maintenance of security and freedom in Europe, and considers essential, to all diplomatic initiatives, the respect of Ukraine’s territorial integrity;
2. reaffirms the need for a fully-fledged intelligence cooperation service at the EU level, as underlined by former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö in his report "Safer Together - Strengthening Europe's Civilian and Military Preparedness and Readiness", published in October 2024 at the request of the President of the European Commission;
3. reaffirms the necessity to ensure political, military and logistic support to Ukraine and to keep political and economic pressure over the Russian Federation in order to repristinate the respect of International Law;
4. affirms the need, after eighty years, to ensure peace in the Middle East, promoting a political solution for both Israel and Palestine, two-States solution and a path towards a federal integration between them. That is essential to guarantee the security and peaceful coexistence of these two peoples. Hence, it is necessary to overcome existing differences among the member states and promote, in all fora, common diplomatic efforts to avoid escalation and ensure peace for all involved actors;
5. affirms the importance of protecting international logistic connections around the world and, among them, the vital connection between Asia and the Suez Canal essential to the European and Mediterranean economies. Hence, asks to the EU, the member states to commit to the safety of the fundamental supply networks towards Europe and the Mediterranean Sea;
6. urges to support and facilitate common European efforts to build an affordable and credible European industry, avoiding internal struggles, as highlighted, among the others, by the Draghi report;
7. urges EU and member states to develop a common strategy for hybrid warfare in order to ensure appropriate preparedness countering cyber-attacks and assure safety of key assets within the European Union;
8. urges the EU institutions to organize improved capabilities to defend against cyber attacks. The aim should be a EU-wide corporation of cyber specialists with the target to find solutions able to defend against cyber attacks. All solutions, produced by the experts, contributing to the platform, must be available to each EU member state; 
9. urges the European institutions and the EU member states to promote a federalist reform of the EU treaties, in order to answer to the multiple challenges that emerged from the consolidating international multipolarism, to ensure a fully legitimate and efficient foreign and security policy to protect European interests, ensure European security and be a credible actor in world politics.