Shaheen Hosts European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel to Discuss Hamas Terrorist Attack on Israel, Support for Ukraine and Joint Cooperation on Trade
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, today hosted European Union Commission (EU) President Ursula von der Leyen and European Union Council President Charles Michel to discuss Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. They also discussed the importance of ensuring continued military and economic support for Ukraine and the upcoming EU-US Summit on trade. U.S. Senators James Risch (R-ID), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Chris Coons (D-DE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) also joined the conversation. A downloadable photo of the meeting can be found here.
“The European Union and its member states are critical partners in advancing our shared security and prosperity objectives across the world,” said Senator Shaheen. “The transatlantic alliance is stronger when the United States and the European Union are aligned. As we face an unprecedented range of challenges from the horrific terrorist attacks in Israel and providing much needed support to Ukraine as it responds to Russia’s war of aggression, I was honored to host President von der Leyen and President Michel for this important bipartisan discussion.”
The meeting follows multiple terror attacks, including Hamas’s slaughter of Israelis and this week’s terrorist attack in Brussels, Belgium, which killed two Swedish nationals. It also comes amid the continued need to support Ukraine, which the United States and its Allies —including the European Union and partners—have led the global response.
Shaheen has led multiple bipartisan delegations to Ukraine and met with President Zelenskyy and members of his Cabinet. Shaheen leads legislation in the U.S. Senate to address a U.S. strategy toward key political regions in Europe to bolster European security and transatlantic unity. As chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group and Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee that oversees U.S. policy towards Europe, Shaheen is a leading policymaker on efforts in defense of democracies around the globe amid Putin’s efforts to destabilize the continent. Shaheen also led on the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act, which was signed into law, and establishes a military lend-lease program to enhance security assistance to Ukraine.
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