A plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was forced to make an emergency landing in Bulgaria today due to suspected Russian GPS jamming that disrupted its navigation systems, according to reports from the Financial Times.
The incident occurred as von der Leyen was en route to a scheduled meeting in a neighboring country. The aircraft had to rely on paper maps for navigation after its GPS systems failed, raising serious concerns about the security of air travel in the region amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
This event marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Western nations and Russia, particularly as various reports have indicated increased instances of GPS interference attributed to Russian military operations. Earlier this month, the USS Sampson activated its AIS in Panama ahead of deployment to Venezuela, highlighting the heightened military readiness in response to similar threats.
As European leaders assess the implications of this incident, it remains unclear how this disruption will affect von der Leyen"s diplomatic agenda. The European Commission has yet to issue an official statement regarding the emergency landing and its potential impact on upcoming discussions about security in Eastern Europe.
