Suspicions of Russian involvement
According to the European Commission, there are suspicions that Moscow was behind the the GPS jamming of a plane carrying Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Earlier, CNN International reported that GPS navigation services at a Bulgarian airport had been disrupted, raising concerns of possible Russian interference.
Despite the jamming, von der Leyen’s aircraft landed safely in Plovdiv using traditional maps, an official told CNNi.
The Commission added: “We received information from the Bulgarian authorities that they suspect this blatant interference was carried out by Russia.”
The spokesperson stressed that “this incident will only further strengthen our unwavering commitment to enhancing our defence capabilities and our support for Ukraine.”
The GPS system of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's airplane was jammed while en route on Sunday to Bulgaria, where it landed safely on Sunday, an EU spokesperson said on Monday, confirming earlier media reports https://t.co/XW67ppvflm pic.twitter.com/LE3JUFtXa1
— Reuters (@Reuters) September 1, 2025
Von der Leyen’s visit to Bulgaria
Von der Leyen was flying from Warsaw to Bulgaria to meet Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and to visit a munitions factory. Her trip to Bulgaria formed part of a wider tour of EU member states bordering Russia, Belarus and the Black Sea.
Message of strength and unity to Moscow
The visit was intended to send a signal of unity and resilience, at a time when Russia continues its attacks on Ukrainian cities and “sabotages any attempts to secure a ceasefire agreement,” CNNi reported.
Speaking in Bulgaria shortly after the interference on her plane, but before the incident became public, von der Leyen warned that Europe must “maintain a sense of urgency.”
“Russian President Vladimir Putin has not changed and will not change. He is a predator. He can only be contained through deterrence,” she said.