EU watchdog investigates von der Leyen over secret chat with Zelensky and European leaders

The European Ombudsman, Teresa Anjinho, has opened an investigation into European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding a secret group chat that included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders, as reported by German newspaper Berliner Zeitung.

The chat participants also included German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The investigation does not concern the content of the chat but whether the Commission violated transparency rules by refusing to grant access to the correspondence. The existence of the chat became public in January. The Dutch investigative organization Follow the Money later requested access, but the Commission rejected the request, arguing that publication could damage the EU's relations with countries outside the bloc.

According to media reports, the group discussed strategies for dealing with U.S. President Donald Trump, among other matters. The investigation is expected to take several months. A meeting between Commission representatives and Anjinho is expected before mid-July.