BRUSSELS ― The European Commission praised Ursula von der Leyen’s personal diplomatic skills for Donald Trump’s apparent shift on support for Ukraine.
The U.S. president’s engagement on the subject “hasn’t happened by accident,” Commission spokesperson Olof Gill told reporters in Brussels. “It has happened because of President von der Leyen.”
On Tuesday, at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Trump caught officials off guard after publishing his most pro-Ukraine statement yet — a bold assertion that Kyiv can not only win its war against Russia, but also take back every inch of territory it’s lost.
While acknowledging many European leaders have pushed tirelessly for a united global front, the Commission chief’s unique rapport with Trump was a gamechanger, according to the EU executive.
“We saw yesterday the meeting between Presidents von der Leyen and Trump, which we consider to be extremely positive,” Gill said. “It’s really important to emphasize that we welcome that the engagement with the U.S. is now so strong and meaningful as regards coordinated efforts to try to end Russia’s aggression.”
Trump declared late Tuesday on his Truth Social platform: “I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.”
The personal relationship between von der Leyen and Trump has deepened notably since their July summit in Scotland, where they hammered out a lopsided trade deal.
As reported in Wednesday’s Brussels Playbook, the pair are now in regular phone contact, according to an EU official, with recent conversations focused on the latest round of sanctions targeting Russia — including measures with a China dimension, which caught Trump’s interest.
Details of the New York talks remain under wraps. “We raised our priorities and concerns,” Gill told reporters when pressed.
The EU’s position on Ukraine remains a clear call for an end to the war, respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and a demand that Russia cease its aggression immediately.
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