Ursula von der Leyen

Ursula von der Leyen is the President of the European Commission. She is currently newsworthy for her role in the European Union's response to the conflict in Ukraine and its relations with the UK. Von der Leyen has welcomed the adoption of the 21st package of sanctions against Russia, stating they aim to weaken Russia's war effort by adding more banks and crypto firms to transaction ban lists. She also recently visited Kyiv to announce a new 'drone deal' between Ukraine and the EU, aimed at integrating defense industries, though this visit was followed by a major Russian missile assault on the city. Additionally, von der Leyen has expressed optimism about strengthening ties with the UK following the election of a new British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham. Her agenda also includes pledging an EU-wide social media ban for children to protect them from 'predatory algorithms'.