European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen participates in a gathering with U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders on the White Home on August 18, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Win McNamee | Getty Photographs
The European Union (EU) on Monday mentioned Russia was suspected of jamming the GPS system of a airplane carrying European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen to Bulgaria on Sunday.
“We are able to certainly verify that there was GPS jamming, however the airplane landed safely in Bulgaria. Now we have acquired data from the Bulgarian authorities that they believe that this was on account of blatant interference by Russia,” a European Fee spokesperson mentioned at a press briefing Monday.
“We’re in fact conscious and used to the threats and intimidations which can be an everyday element of Russia’s hostile habits, and naturally it will solely reinforce additional our unshakeable dedication to ramp up protection capabilities and help for Ukraine,” the spokesperson added.
The incident underlined the necessity to urgently spend money on European protection and safety, the spokesperson mentioned.
Von der Leyen was on a airplane chartered by the European Fee, the EU mentioned. Requested by a reporter if the airplane had been the supposed goal of the alleged GPS jamming — which prevents entry to the satellite-based navigation system — the spokesperson mentioned, “I feel the query is finest requested to the Russians if certainly it’s them which have carried it out.”
CNBC has contacted the Kremlin for a response to the allegation. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov informed the Monetary Instances earlier that the knowledge was “incorrect,” nonetheless.
CNBC has contacted the Bulgarian Air Visitors Companies Authority for additional data on the incident. Nonetheless, an earlier assertion to the FT learn: “Since February 2022, there was a notable enhance in [GPS] jamming and just lately spoofing occurrences,” it mentioned. “These interferences disrupt the correct reception of [GPS] alerts, main to varied operational challenges for plane and floor programs.”
Bulgaria’s authorities on Monday issued an announcement, reported by Sky Information, saying that “the satellite tv for pc sign used for the plane’s GPS navigation was disrupted.”
“Because the plane approached Plovdiv Airport, the GPS sign was misplaced,” the assertion added.