European Commission Accuses Russia of Jamming GPS during von der Leyen’s Flight
A spokesperson for the European Commission has stated that the Russian government is responsible for interfering with the GPS systems of a plane carrying President Ursula von der Leyen while it was flying over Bulgaria on Monday.
Arianna Podestà confirmed that von der Leyen’s flight landed safely in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The president is visiting several EU countries that share borders with Russia and Belarus. “We can indeed confirm that there was GPS jamming,” Podestà announced, adding, “Bulgarian authorities suspect this was due to clear interference by Russia.”
This incident highlights the urgency of von der Leyen’s mission in these key EU nations, Podestà noted. “The EU will continue to enhance defense spending and readiness in light of this situation,” she emphasized.
Von der Leyen and other European leaders have been cautious about former President Donald Trump’s outreach to Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning peace in Ukraine. In a recent meeting at the White House, alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, she announced a new round of sanctions against Moscow.
The GPS jamming incident follows closely on the heels of a meeting between White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Ukrainian officials in New York City, aimed at advancing peace efforts. Witkoff connected with Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine’s presidential office, and Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine’s ambassador.
The meeting served as a status update and a reaffirmation of the goal of bringing Ukraine and Russia together to negotiate an end to the ongoing conflict.
In Brief: The European Commission has accused Russia of jamming GPS signals during von der Leyen’s flight, stressing the need for increased EU defense readiness amidst rising tensions.
