Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, stated that Donald Trump should not interfere in European democracy.

"It is not we who decide who will be the leader of a country in terms of elections, but the people of that country... This is the sovereignty of the voters and it must be protected. No one else should interfere, without any doubt," said Ursula von der Leyen in an interview at the POLITICO 28 gala in Brussels.

The statements came in response to recent attacks by Donald Trump on Europe, in which he denounced European leaders as being "weak." Von der Leyen also criticized the U.S. National Security Strategy, which suggests a "disappearance of civilization" in Europe, a narrative that has been adopted by far-right leaders. In this context, the EU proposed the Democracy Shield initiative to combat foreign interference in elections.

Von der Leyen emphasized the importance of European unity and pride in the Union's achievements, encouraging a focus on its own strengths and challenges, rather than comparisons with other regions.