The European Union will be boosting its satellite defense infrastructure after a GPS-jamming incident involving the plane carrying the Commission’s President, Ursula von der Leyen.
Von der Leyen’s aircraft was forced to circle for about an hour and had to rely on ground-based navigation systems while approaching the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv on Sunday.
Bulgarian authorities later confirmed that GPS signals had been jammed, with Moscow emerging as the alleged source of the interference.
Europe sees surge in electronic warfare incidents
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, GPS signal disruptions have become a nuisance that people have learned to live with across Europe, especially when they travel near Russian and Belarusian airspace. Pilots, ship captains, and travelers have reported sudden failures in navigation and communication systems, glitches that experts say are no accident, but part of Moscow’s strategy to unsettle daily life and critical infrastructure.
What was once a distant concern for border regions is now spreading deeper into Europe , even disrupting civilian flights over central and southern skies. The jamming incident that forced Ursula von der Leyen’s aircraft to rely on ground-based navigation is the clearest reminder yet that electronic warfare can touch not only trade and travel, but the movement and safety of Europe’s top leaders.
Security officials warn that Russia’s deployment of mobile jamming units along its western frontier isn’t just a nuisance. It represents a growing challenge to NATO’s ability to operate freely and safely in the region.
Brussels accelerates defense response
In response , Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius announced plans to deploy low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites designed to provide more resilient positioning and communication services while also improving the bloc’s ability to detect and counter signal interference.
The episode may also make the EU speed up its Readiness 2030 program , which is an €800 billion ($937 billion) defense and resilience initiative unveiled earlier this year. The program aims to strengthen Europe’s military capabilities , cyber and electronic warfare defenses, and reduce reliance on external partners for strategic infrastructure.
EU officials have added that this effort also involves boosting the capabilities of Galileo, the bloc’s independent satellite navigation system, which will be central to efforts to reduce exposure to hostile jamming.
While Galileo has been operational for quite a time, reliance on US-owned GPS remains significant, leaving European transport and aviation systems more vulnerable to external interference.
Diplomats described the latest jamming incident targeting a high-profile official like Von der Leyen as a pointed reminder of Moscow’s unwillingness to play ball, taking every opportunity to challenge authority even in non-military domains.
The EU’s security establishment now faces a dual challenge, which is reinforcing the credibility of its deterrence posture while avoiding escalation with Moscow.
