The GPS system of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's airplane was reportedly jammed while flying to Bulgaria on Sunday. An EU spokesperson confirmed the incident on Monday, stating that the plane landed safely despite the disruption.

"We can indeed confirm that there was GPS jamming, but the plane landed safely in Bulgaria. We have received information from the Bulgarian authorities that they suspect that this was due to blatant interference by Russia," the spokesperson said.

The Russian government has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the incident. The EU did not provide additional details but emphasized that the event highlights the bloc's commitment to enhancing defense capabilities and supporting Ukraine amid ongoing tensions with Russia.

Bulgaria's government reported that the GPS signal was lost as von der Leyen's plane approached Plovdiv, leading air traffic controllers to rely on ground-based navigation systems to ensure a safe landing.

Von der Leyen is currently on a four-day tour of EU member states that share borders with Russia and Belarus. The spokesperson noted that she has witnessed firsthand the daily challenges posed by threats from Russia and its allies.

"This incident actually underlines the urgency of the mission that the president is carrying out in the front-line member states," the spokesperson added.

In light of the incident, the EU plans to increase its defense spending and readiness. "The EU will continue to invest in defense spending and in Europe’s readiness even more after this incident," the spokesperson stated.