European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has not received an invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Donald Trump in Washington on January 20, a spokesperson for the European executive said on Friday.
“We have not received an invitation and there are no plans to participate”replied this spokesperson, Paula Pinho, when questioned during the Commission’s daily press briefing.
But, she added, “We are looking to get in touch with the new administration as quickly as possible” American, including before January 20.
The President of the Commission, being treated for serious pneumonia which is keeping her at home in Hanover in Germany, announced a week ago that she was canceling all her external commitments until mid-January.
No foreign head of state or government is traditionally invited to the inauguration ceremony of American presidents. But Donald Trump decided otherwise by inviting several foreign leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, who declined this invitation. On the other hand, the head of the Italian government Giorgia Meloni or the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban are expected to travel to the American capital on January 20.
