Suspected Russian Interference Causes EU Leader’s Aircraft to Land Traditionally

Incident with Ursula von der Leyen’s Plane

On Sunday, a plane carrying Ursula von der Leyen from the European Commission experienced GPS interference, suspected to be a Russian attack, as confirmed by officials from the Daily Call News Foundation.

The aircraft landed safely at Plovdiv Airport in Bulgaria, although the pilot had to navigate using a paper map. This incident coincided with von der Leyen’s tour of the Eastern EU “frontline states,” aimed at bolstering support for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia.

“We noticed the GPS was compromised, but thankfully, the plane landed without incident,” said European Commission spokesperson Arianna Podestà. “Bulgarian authorities alerted us that this interference likely originated from Russia. We’re aware that such threats are common in Russia’s hostile behavior.”

Von der Leyen’s visit was part of broader efforts to strengthen EU solidarity among its member states near Russia, including Latvia, Finland, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, and Romania. During this trip, she toured arms manufacturers with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Ziyazkov.

Podestà highlighted that the incident reveals the pressing challenges faced by EU frontline countries due to ongoing threats from Russia and its affiliates.

In a concerning context, the GPS attack also impacted a facility housing EU and British delegations, following a series of airstrikes on Kyiv the previous Thursday.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has been pursuing a peace agreement with Russia, which would involve security assurances from the West. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin appears interested in maintaining military actions until Moscow secures control over the mainly Russian-speaking Donbas region.

President Donald Trump, in an interview last week, suggested that a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is unlikely. Trump, who previously met with Putin in Alaska regarding peace discussions, mentioned that the U.S. might need to provide air support to help Europe conclude the conflict.

“Things happen, but I don’t know, they’re not always ready,” Trump commented. “Sometimes it takes a bit of fighting before they can reach an agreement. This conflict has persisted for quite some time. A lot of lives have been lost.”