European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen encountered a GPS jamming incident while landing at Plovdiv International Airport in Bulgaria on Sunday. She traveled to most EU member states that border Russia, Belarus, and the Black Sea. Her mission was to raise awareness and support for Ukraine while the war continues to rage there and throughout the region.
Von der Leyen’s trip began on Friday in Latvia and Finland, and continued on Saturday to Estonia. She rounded out her European visit by stopping in Poland and Bulgaria on Sunday. This high-level visit was designed to shore up solidarity between frontline EU border states as they face down and deter Russia-pushed hybrid threats. She joined U.S. President Donald Trump at a summit on Ukraine last week. At that summit, she made a strong case for speeding up and increasing the flow of resources like military, financial, and humanitarian support from EU member states to help support Ukraine.
Defense authorities in the Scandinavian and Baltic states have confirmed that Russia engages in systematic GPS jamming. Yet a new study from researchers in Poland and Germany makes clear that this is, indeed, that broken window. The research identified Russia as the culprit behind the GPS jamming. These disruptions were implemented through a shadow fleet of ships and the use of its Kaliningrad exclave, starting in June 2024 and continuing for six months.
Arianna Podestà, the European Commission Deputy Chief Spokesperson, described the event as “precisely the type of incident that it is,” serious.
“This incident underlines the urgency of the President’s current trip to frontline Member States, where she has seen first hand the everyday threats from Russia and its proxies.” – Arianna Podestà
That’s why Von der Leyen’s tour is of paramount significance. It illustrates the European Commission’s unwavering support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russia’s unprovoked aggression.
Throughout the trip, von der Leyen made the case for a robust counter to growing Russian menaces. She brought this point home in her panel discussions.
“Keep up the sense of urgency.” – Ursula von der Leyen
She said, Russian President Vladimir Putin has not wavered in continuing to attack other countries, including those along Russia’s border.
“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin has not changed, and he will not change. He is a predator. He can only be kept in check through strong deterrence.” – Ursula von der Leyen
The European Commission is unequivocal in its commitment to improve the defense capacity. What’s more, they’re ramping up their military support for Ukraine. A spokesperson stated,
“This will further reinforce our unshakable commitment to ramp up our defense capabilities and support for Ukraine.”
