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On March 17, 2026, speaking in London at Chatham House, Finland’s president Alexander Stubb made a pointed assessment of the post-Brexit landscape and the future of Europe. He described the decision to leave the EU as a serious misjudgement and urged that the U.K. should ultimately seek to rejoin the bloc. Stubb’s remarks were grounded in both personal and political perspective: he studied in London, has a British wife and children who hold dual nationality, which he used to underscore the human and institutional ties that bind the two sides.
Rather than waiting for a formal reversal, Stubb argued that London and Brussels should pursue a set of immediate, practical arrangements in areas such as defence, intelligence sharing, trade and technology and innovation. He warned that the international order is under strain and that this instability makes cooperation more urgent, not less. Acknowledging that Prime Minister Keir Starmer does not currently prioritise re-entry, Stubb nonetheless called for a pragmatic reset that lets both sides build trust and mutual interests while keeping open the possibility of full membership later.
The case for a step-by-step rapprochement
Stubb set out a practical route that avoids headline-grabbing reversals yet restores close operational links. He suggested that the U.K. could participate in the customs union and enjoy access to the single market under flexible arrangements, even if full membership is not immediately on the table. By framing the question as incremental and negotiable, he tried to remove the punitive mindset that treats Brexit as an irreversible break. Stubb also offered a memorable timeline to illustrate the emotional and political cycle of separation and regret, arguing that societies often only realise the cost of such choices over a prolonged period.
Customs union and single market: practical definitions
In Stubb’s words, a renewed relationship can be built around components that previously defined close European integration. He used customs union to refer to a shared external tariff and common treatment of goods at borders, and single market to mean the integrated zone for goods, services, capital and labour. Those concepts, he said, can be tailored: temporary opt-ins, sectoral access or bespoke arrangements could allow the U.K. to regain many benefits it lost under the Brexit settlement negotiated five years ago. He urged negotiators to move past red lines and explore flexible formulas that protect standards while restoring economic and security ties.
Rethinking how the EU adapts to new partners
Beyond bilateral fixes with the U.K., Stubb pressed for institutional adaptability within the EU. He proposed that Brussels should permit different speeds of cooperation and create mechanisms for close partnerships with states that are not formal members. Citing broader European interest in enlargement and cooperation, he noted renewed interest from countries like Iceland and expressed a desire to see Norway engaged more fully with the bloc. In a lighter moment he told a story about running with Mark Carney in London and teasing that Canada might benefit from a fresh look at European ties.
Strategic rationale and the wider context
Stubb returned to a core theme: Europe needs the voice and capabilities of the U.K. at a time when global power dynamics are shifting and the old rules-based order feels fragile. He argued that closer defence collaboration, deeper intelligence sharing and stronger trade links are not just desirable but necessary for collective resilience. Rather than viewing the U.K. as a punished ex-member, Brussels should see it as a partner whose re-engagement would strengthen the continent’s strategic position. For Stubb, the path forward is a blend of realism and ambition: make practical agreements now and leave the door open for full reintegration when political conditions align.