The head of the European Commission is seeking to arrange a meeting with Trump before the inauguration, according to Bloomberg.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is attempting to arrange a meeting with Donald Trump before his inauguration as President of the United States. The meeting may take place in Florida.

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing Bloomberg.

According to sources from the publication, the EU official and Trump's aides have held discussions, but it remains unclear whether a visit to his estate in Florida can be organized before January 20.

Efforts to organize the meeting have been further complicated by the fact that von der Leyen has not yet returned to Brussels after the holidays, as she is trying to recover from a severe bout of pneumonia in her native Germany.

Bloomberg notes that EU officials have faced challenges in establishing permanent communication channels with senior colleagues in the new administration. Trump, for his part, has repeatedly complained that Europe has a poor attitude toward the U.S. He has promised to target the European Union with tariffs and to take a tough stance on defense spending demands.

On Thursday evening, von der Leyen and the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, published identical statements reaffirming their commitment to strengthening transatlantic ties.

"We look forward to positive engagement with the new U.S. administration, based on our shared values and interests. In a harsh world, Europe and the U.S. are stronger together," the statement reads.

It is known that von der Leyen maintained particularly close relations with outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden and visited the White House several times to coordinate policy regarding Ukraine and China. Now, officials are concerned that Trump may end U.S. assistance to Ukraine and initiate communications with Russia.

The EU has privately pledged to closely collaborate with Trump's team on actions regarding China. However, European officials warned that such cooperation would only be possible if Trump does not impose tariffs against the European Union.

Recall that at the end of December, Donald Trump stated that EU member countries should purchase more oil and gas from the U.S. Otherwise, customs duties will be raised for the European bloc.