POLITICO: How Ursula von der Leyen gained Trump’s ear on Russia

After a massive Russian drone attack heavily damaged the EU delegation in Kyiv last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen bypassed traditional diplomatic channels and called U.S. President Donald Trump directly.

According to EU officials, cited by POLITICO in its new article, she told Trump: “This is what [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is capable of. Here’s a clear example of how Putin isn’t keeping his word.”

The direct communication between von der Leyen and Trump has gained geopolitical significance, as the EU feared being sidelined in the early months of Trump’s second term, when his positions often echoed Kremlin talking points. Since June, however, the two leaders have been in regular contact. Trump has lavished praise on von der Leyen, calling her “fantastic” and “tremendous,” and EU diplomats believe the rapport may be influencing Trump’s tougher stance on Putin. On Tuesday, he described Russia as a “paper tiger” after conversations with both von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

An EU official said Trump’s pro-Ukraine message on Truth Social followed an in-depth discussion with von der Leyen on sanctions, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio present. “The president [von der Leyen] was clear about how determined we are to keep the pressure on Russia,” the official added.

Von der Leyen’s emergence as a primary EU voice is partly due to Trump’s understanding—or misunderstanding—of her role. “Late as this week he praised her for her role in ‘running lots of different nations,’” an EU official noted. Her success contrasts with other European leaders who struggled to gain his attention.

A turning point in the relationship occurred at the June G7 summit in Canada, where von der Leyen and Trump held a bilateral meeting on advancing the EU-U.S. trade deal. Following that, contacts increased. Trump invited von der Leyen to Scotland to continue negotiations, which resulted in a compromise on tariffs: “He started with 35 [per cent], then 29, then 25… eventually they landed on 15 per cent,” an EU official said. Trump later joked, “I think you might be more powerful than all these guys at this table.”

Trump has also repeatedly praised von der Leyen personally. When a reporter asked about a GPS interference incident affecting her plane, he interjected: “With Ursula? She had an interesting event. She’s a tremendous woman… Nobody knows where it came from, but they did take away her ability to use the phone.”

Within the complex EU leadership structure, von der Leyen has become the go-to interlocutor for Trump. She was the only EU institutional leader to attend the August White House visit, signalling a streamlined transatlantic voice. “My impression is that he would just randomly pick up the phone and call when he wants to,” said an EU official, emphasising the importance of personal rapport.

Being in Trump’s favour comes at a price: von der Leyen has made concessions on trade and Big Tech regulation to maintain the relationship, drawing criticism from EU capitals and Parliament. Still, in a Europe often divided on key issues, having a leader who can cut through to the U.S. president is increasingly valuable. As one official summed up: “She doesn’t flood the line—she calls when it matters. He’ll still do what he wants, but she’s in the conversation.”

By Tamilla Hasanova