A new “Make Europe Great Again” (MEGA) gathering in Brussels brought together European and US speakers who criticized the European leadership’s approach to the Russia-Ukraine war and called for a sharper, pro-Israel turn in EU policy.
Organizers said the conference aims to build a transatlantic bridge between American MAGA-aligned circles and European sovereignty-focused parties. Several participants argued that a Trump-backed negotiating track is being blocked by Europe’s current leadership.
Immigration was also discussed, and speakers argued that Europe should shift resources away from the war in Ukraine and toward domestic priorities, including what they described as the Islamist threat.
Organizers said the audience included participants from Belgium, Germany, the UK, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Spain, as well as US US figures such as Rep. Brian Babin and former congressman Steve King. Speakers said the conference is meant to bridge the gap between European sovereignty-focused parties and Trump’s MAGA movement in the United States.
At the event, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German opposition leader Friedrich Merz were singled out. They were accused of slowing diplomacy and keeping the conflict on a long-war footing.
Israel's central theme in MEGA session
Israel was a central theme in later sessions. Speakers described Israel as a key strategic partner for the West and urged Brussels to move away from what they called a balancing approach toward Iran and Islamist movements. A delegation that included UK activist Tommy Robinson and Belgian MP Sam van Rooy said it had recently visited Israel and presented recommendations for closer EU alignment with Israel, pointing to the Abraham Accords as an example of regional cooperation.
Participants also said they want more direct coordination with Washington and less reliance on EU institutions for foreign-policy direction.
Filip Dewinter, longtime leader of Belgium’s Vlaams Belang party who headed the conference, summed up the gathering’s message. “We love Europe, and therefore we despise the EU,” he told attendees. “The future of Europe lies in national states and not in liberal globalism.”