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The Hindu provides this look at the life and career of European Union president Ursula von der Leyen. Today Leyen is one of the prominent leaders in the European Union, and leads the fight against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Leyen has visited places destroyed in the Russian invasion such as Bucha and talked to refugees, mostly women and children She has stated on Twitter after proposing a complete ban on Russian crude oil to Europe- "we want Ukraine to win this war." After a mediocre performance as Minister of Defense Leyen took the position at the EU headquarters in Brussels, where her father had served as a civil servant. Her father was  elected as Minister President of Lower Saxony province after working at EU in Brussels. Leyen went to secondary school in Brussels. Studying economics at London School of Economics before shifting to medicine, getting her degree in 1991. She followed her husband to Stanford University, and after her return to Hanover in 1996 was elected to the state parliament in Lower Saxony in 2003. She joined Merkel's cabinet as Minister of Youth and Family Affairs in 2005, deputy leader of CDU in 2010 and Defense Minister in 2013. ...

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EU's Leyen and Costa at India's Republic Day Parade 2026 with PM Modi. European Union's Leyen said on her visit to India with Da Costa- "We are on the cusp of a historic trade Agreement indeed some call it the mother of all deals one that would create a market of two billion people." "A free trade agreement between the EU and India would be the largest deal of this kind anywhere in the world. I am well aware it will not be easy. But I also know that timing and determination counts, and that this partnership comes at the right moment for both of us." Leyen concluded that this was a moment that seemed so opportunity filled for both regions. "In troubled times great opportunities come. And I believe 2025 is a historic window of opportunity to build an indivisible partnership between Europe and India. Our interests align. Our commitment is iron-clad. And if it can be done anywhere, it can be done here. Because as Romain Rolland – the French writer and great admirer of India said: “If there is one place on the face of earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India.”  "And today we are one step closer to making our common dream a reality. Thank you and long live our friendship." ...

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Ursula Von der Leyen is actually a nickname of the new European Commission president from Germany. Her father was Ernst Albrecht, a top CDU politician and state premier for Lower Saxony. She adopted the name when she switched studies from the University of Gottingen in the late 1970's to study at the London School of Economics and changed her name to avoid the attention of the Red Army faction, a terrorist group at that time. Ursula studied at the European School in Uccle, during a time when her father was atop European civil servant in Brussels. Of her time in London she says: "I lived more than I studied...In 1978 I immersed myself for one year in this seething, international, colorful city. For me coming from the rather monotonousm white Germany, that was fascinating. For me London was the epitome of modernity: freedom, the joy of life, trying everything. This gae me an inner freedom that I have kept till today. And another thing I have kept the realisation that different cultures can get along together very well." She switched to medicine, and married a physician. In 1990 she joined the CDU like her father. She held posts related to the family and work ministries, and Merkel promoted her to defense where she did not do as well as at family related ministries, and then to the head of the European Commission, knowing full well the value of an internationalist with outlook broader than Germany's in the European Union of today. ...

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The visit of European Commission president Von Der Leyen to India is her first to the country. The aim is to strengthen European Union's ties with India. The EU would like to take the cooperation between the two sides to the next level.

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What does a second term for Ursula Von der Leyen mean for the European Union. DW.com looks at what this means for China, other parts of Europe, and the rest of the world.

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EC Council president Michel apologizes for not responding when EC Commission president von der Leyen was left without a seat at a meeting with Erdogan, Turkey's president, in Ankara April 6, 2021. Michel could easily have offered his seat to Ms.  Ursula von der Leyen and taken a seat on the nearby sofa instead, as a form of courtesy. This would have prompted the Turkish side to arrange for another chair next to Erdogan for face to face discussions on improving ties with Turkey during the pandemic.

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Reuters gives this video of Zelensky receiving the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen, Germany in an historic visit. It is given in honor of services to Europe and European unity, and has much symbolic value. Monet, Schuman and Adenauer were also honored. This is Germany and the European Union's answer to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Chancellor Scholz, Ursula Leyen of EU, and the prime minister of Poland also speak. Zelensky speaks in Ukrainian.

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The head of the European Union, Ursula von der Leyen, says Russia is trying to provoke a world food crisis by attacks on Ukraine ports and infrastructure, and preventing the export of 20 million tons of foodgrains. She said the EU was working to get these foodgrains out of the country. Mr. Scholz, the German chancellor on a visit to Africa, also pointed out that the Russian attacks were having serious effects with food shortages in many African countries.

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European Union president Ursula van der Leyen says Africa could be facing a massive surge in coronavirus in a couple of weeks similar to what is happening in Europe. She said only a globally coordinated response would win the war against the coronavirus. "It is in our interests to ensure that the fight is successful worldwide." To help African economies and health systems the European Union will provide aid and grants of 15 billion euros or about 16.3 billion dollars. 

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President Macron of France tests positive for coronavirus on the morning of Dec. 17. He will now self isolate for 7 days. Leaders who he has met recently are the prime ministers of Spain Pedro Sanchez and Portugal Antonio Costa. He was seen embracing Antonio Costa. Mr. Macron was part of the tough negotiations for the European trillion dollar stimulus, for a recent all night EU negotiation, and involved in Brexit talks. He met with Charles Michel of the European Council and Ursula Leyen, head of the European Union. All or most of these leaders will now have to self isolate. Mr. Macron wore a mask during the entire period and was careful not to shake hands. 

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Britain's prime minister spent 3 nights in intensive care for coronavirus. He said the "development of a vaccine is the most urgent shared endeavor of our lifetimes." He will confirm Britain's pledge of 388 million pounds for vaccine research, tests and treatments, part of 744 million pounds to the the global effort against coronavirus. "The more we pull together and share our research the faster our scientists will succeed."

An online pledging conference will take place on Monday as part of the vaccine fundraising drive of the European Union and other countries. The initiative from the EU and president of the EU Ursula von der Leyen, is to raise 7.5 billion euros for vaccine research and development of a vaccine for coronavirus. It has the support of Britain, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Norway, Japan, Canada, and other countries. The month long investment drive will go on till the Global Vaccine Summit on June 4.

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This report in The Economist magazine shows that Germany no longer runs the European Union in the way it has previously. During the austerity crisis with bank bailouts in many countries in southern Europe Germany played a key role. Merkel was perceived as the dominant partner in the relationships with French presidents Sarkozy and Hollande. Britain perceived Germany's increased dominance during that period as a threat. Brexit Leave campaign played on these fears and a diminished British role. Merkel's handling of the migration crisis also played into the hands of Brexit Leave campaigners with poster pictures of migrants crossing European borders in large numbers on British buses. Merkel changed course on migration policies and gradually reversed it to where Germany no longer welcomes economic migrants preferring that they stay in their home countries with German aid to these countries. Merkel's CDU is now facing challenges from a fragmented electorate with many parties and its own diminished role. Gradually the perception of Germany's role is now also reversing. Even though the new president of the European Commission is Ursula Leyen from Germany, there are more Spaniards, French, Italians and Belgians, work in the commission and parliament than Germans, More Director General roles are held by Italy. Germans in Brussels also do not take directions from Berlin, and are actually more Francophile and federalist in their thinking. Germans opinion is more diverse and plural than the idea of a dominant German view. Greens in Germany are coming first in polls showing how much is changing. These multilayers and different strands of thinking make Germany introverted as it is at present. Leyen is seen as more European in outlook and a more European Germany may be the result than a German Europe.  This may play a part in any new elections in Britain or a second referendum on Brexit as polls suggest there is a shift in opinion in Britain underway. ...

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Britain's prime minister Boris Johnson and his negotiating team meet EU president Ursula Leyen for dinner in Brussels on December 8, 2020, to get over fundamental differences for a Brexit deal. This report in The Guardian describes the details of that dinner meeting.  Boris Johnson told parliament that the European Union was asking Britain to be the only country in the world not to have sovereign control over its own fishing waters. He said the EU was also asking that if the EU were to pass a new law that Britain does not comply with they would have the right to  automatically punish Britain or retaliate. On the issue of environmental and other laws that relate to the EU and Britain they are both at the same level today. The EU is worried that in future competition between Britain and the EU in trade and business Britain could relax environmental or other laws to gain an unfair advantage. Boris Johnson and his Conservative party back benchers insist that Britain should have sole right to make its own laws. France's Macron introduced the idea of automatic retaliation as a way to get Britain to keep a level playing field. Both sides see this as a negotiating tactic, hence the dinner meeting as a way to let top negotiators including the leaders to set an informal tone to the final stage of tough negotiating. Merkel made her own remarks to the German parliament saying she was willing to let the negotiations collapse if Britain rejected the EU approach. Merkel stated that if Britain insisted on certain conditions EU could not accept she was willing to let Britain leave without an exit agreement. This way if something went wrong Merkel would not take the blame.   ...

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Volodymyr Zelensky is given the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen, Germany. After World War II the border town of Aachen in Germany where the grave of Charlemagne is situated, decided to set up a prize for leaders who supported European unity. Charlemagne is the king from eighth century Europe who united France, Italy, Germany and Eastern Europe into a European state, and supported the Carolingian Renaissance and revival of Christianity. Winners of the prize include Monet, Schumann and Konrad Adenauer. Giving the prize to Zelensky and the people of Ukraine is a way to symbolically bring the people of Ukraine into the European community of nations and do this in a solemn commitment with an "obligation of the highest ethical value." Present at the ceremony were Chancellor Scholz, the city officials of Aachen, Ursula Leyen of the European Commission and the prime minister of Poland. Scholz committed Germany to supporting Ukraine as part of the European family in an historic setting that goes back over a thousand years. Mr. Zelensky spoke in Ukrainian and said this must be the first time Ukrainian was spoken inside these walls in Aachen. Dr. Kurt Pfeiffer, its founder in 1950, set the goal of the Charlemagne Prize award- "the prize reaches into the future and at the same time embodies an obligation- an obligation of the highest ethical value. It is directed at a voluntary union of the European people's without constraint, so that in their new found strength they may defend the highest earthly goods- freedom, humanity and peace- and safeguard the future of their children and their children's children." ...

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Angela Merkel of Germany and other EU leaders decided to back "global supply chains" and declined to support the EU Commission in Brussels at a virtual summit attended by 27 leaders of the EU states. It was also attended briefly by Joe Biden. Ursula von Leyen said 21 million doses of vaccine had been shipped from EU to Britain, of which 1 million were from Astra Zeneca and the rest from Pfizer and other makers of vaccines. A total of 77 million doses made in the EU wer shipped to 33 countries since 1 December 2020. Governments of Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium and Sweden were not in favor of blocking shipments from the UK because of the effect on supply chains. Pfizer is strongly opposed to the move to block shipments. Merkel emphasized the need to respect the global supply chains while making efforts to ensure EU countries get a fair share of vaccine supplies. The problems of UK vs Britain on vaccine supplies comes from the yield problems at a Belgium plant of Astra Zeneca and the company's refusal to divert supplies from the UK. Of the 120 million promised only 30 million could be delivered to EU. The UK's contract with Astra Zeneca states that supplies from its plants in Oxford and Staffordshire must be delivered to Britain first. The UK is facing an acute shortage of second doses even though it has given 31 million jabs. At this time 45 out of 100 people in the UK have jabs, compared with 13 out of 100 in the EU.   ...

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Ms. Ursula von Der Leyden, who was a strong advocate for women on social issues, is the new defense minister in the Merkel cabinet for 2014. Frank-Walter Steinmeier of the Social Democrats is the new foreign minister, a position he held in the coalition of 2005-2009. SDP leader Sigmar Gabriel- who worked hard to get the approval for a coalition in a vote of the rank and file of the SDP- is the new Economics and Energy minister, with responsibility for shifting Germany away from nuclear power. Wolfgang Schauble continues as Finance minister. The new term for Merkel is likely to focus on domestic issues such as building infrastructure, education, the shift from nuclear energy, and immigration.

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Comment by a former Tory leader, Sir Ian Duncan Smith, on negotiations with the European Union's Ursula Leyen, show how much the term sovereignty has become the word on which everything depends. Smith said on December 10 about the EU demands that Britain adhere to EU environmental and other rules after leaving the EU, "either Britain is sovereign, or it is not."  The word sovereign is discussed in this context in this Times analysis. The word comes from the old French word "sovereinete" during the period when the King's authority was being contested by feudal lords in 16th century France. The Oxford dictionary defines it as the authority of a state to govern itself, and to do this without outside interference. Tory leaders such as David Davis and others including Smith see this as meaning making your own laws. For the European Union to insist on its laws being primary and British law asked to conform with EU law making it secondary, would not only be outside interference, but also divided authority. Older French and British political philosophers Hobbes and Rousseau see this as divided authority. Even though the meaning has changed in modern times, the essential definition in the Oxford Dictionary remains undivided authority. Which is why these Tory leaders insist on the original definition as the right one. Behind the wrangling there is the sense among Leavers that Britain could do better in economic terms by setting its own direction, and doing business its way. How would a new economic power in India by 2030 affect Britain, would it create many more opportunities for Britain to grow because of its history and cultural ties. Could the relationship with the U.S. provide more opportunities for growth? What about French indifference and even disdain of Britain, does Britain have other options? Isn't the European Union merely a Franco-German alliance led politically by France and economically by Germany, and propelled by their three wars since 1871, with a bunch of European countries added in, and what has Britain got to do with it? Closer to the negotiations with Leyen there is also the question - isn't France trying to make certain with its demand that Britain not violate EU law, that Britain's ingenuity and free wheeling spirit outside the European Union does not let it grow faster than France? Where one gets Boris Johnson's immediate reply that Britain is better off not being stuck inside "EU's regulatory orbit."   At the other end of the world you have India with "Atman Nirbhar Bharat" calling for a self-reliant economy and taking the time for transitioning out of the trade relationship with China, at short term cost and long term advantage. Britain is closely watching India as it makes big strides in developing infrastructure, in renewable energy, and setting a bold vision for the future. Even France is mapping out a pathway to self-reliant economy as it looks at ways to bring production home after the pandemic. The pandemic has only reinforced the drive to be self-reliant. ...

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U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, and Germany's minister of defense Ursula von der Leyden, visit troops of the German-Dutch brigade in Munster, Germany, on June 22, 2015. Ashton Carter tells a German think tank audience on June 22, 2015. "We do not seek a cold, let alone a hot war with Russia. We do not seek to make Russia an enemy. But make no mistake: we will defend our allies, the rules based international order and the positive future it affords us all. We will stand up to Russia's actions and their attempts to re-establish a Soviet-era sphere of influence." The NATO readiness effort called "Operation Atlantic Resolve" is designed to meet Russian intervention in Ukraine and preserve the independence of countries in Eastern Europe.

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The resilience of Indian democracy shows in the fourth phase of the election with 70% election voter turnout for parliament. The Election Commission says 67% over all four phases with the current heat wave 45-50 degrees centigrade. 150 million more voters over 18 years will vote this time in 2024 compared to 2019. 978 million people or 70% of the population eligible to vote. And 5.5 electronic voting machines, 1 million polling stations, 15 million election workers and security personnel. Compare this to the elections for European parliament with voter turnout in 2014 of 42%, in 2019 of 51%, and expected increase in June 6-9  election to 61%. Total seats are 720 compared to 543 in India. There are 3 debates, in Maastrict, Netherlands and Brussels, Belgium, in May the last in English. With Ursula Von Der Leyen of CDU heading European People's Party, Zimmerman of Renew and Nicholas Schmit for Party of European Socialists and others. EPP met in Bucharest, Romania, PES in Florence, Italy in March, Greens in Lyon, France. Issues in EU Climate change, Security policy, Economy, Migration and Borders. In India issues are Vikshit Bharat 2047 modernization effort, State governance leakage of funds intended for development, Security, Backward Caste development. ...

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In his farewell speech Boris Johnson, with true British resilient spirit,  says "I will be giving fervent support to Liz Truss and her government every step of the way." Johnson likened his transfer of power to Ms Truss to a relay race. "The baton will be handed over," saying it "unexpectedly turned into a relay race, they changed the rules halfway through." But he expressed no feelings of regret, having come to terms with the arrangement in his own way. More likely Johnson is without saying it still determining the policies and direction of the government, perhaps more so now with Liz Truss and his loyalists the only persons in the cabinet and running the British government. Johnson addressed people's fears about the energy price increases- "the UK would continue to have the strength to give people cash they need to get through this energy crisis that is caused by Putin's vicious war."  He listed his government's achievements- the response to Covid. Some of this is forgotten as the UK not the EU leadership was first to move forward with vaccination plans. Johnson put his government's faith in the vaccine invented at Oxford University and committed early while the EU languished under Merkel and her protege Ursula Von der Leyen. The EU fell behind in providing vaccine leadership as Britain forged ahead early, giving hope to the rest of the world's population including India that adopted the Oxford vaccine. Johnson likened his role to the missions to the planets- "Let me say I am now like one of those booster rockets that has fulfilled its function and I will be re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down invisibly into some remote and obscure corner of the Pacific." Johnson has taken the situation in a truly British way without any rancor and gracefully. With Liz Truss in charge he even gets a break after the difficult period handling the once in a century pandemic, handing over to a younger member of his group, and yet deciding on many of the policies and guiding the government for the term it was elected for to 2024. History will look at him favorably for his handling of the pandemic and vaccination, and for his instincts about the Ukraine war and Britain's unwavering support, and now in guiding Truss to provide Britain with strong support for the cost of living crisis caused by the war. His failings stem partly from his exuberance and optimistic spirit, but nowhere near detract from these achievements. ...