The Economic Argument: Von der Leyen Wields EU Trade Clout for Ukraine

As European leaders rally in Washington for Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is wielding one of the most powerful weapons in their arsenal: economic clout. She is in DC to support President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and remind Donald Trump of Europe’s immense importance as a trading partner.
This “bodyguard” mission is not just about political solidarity; it’s also about leveraging economic realities. Von der Leyen’s presence is a reminder that the EU and US just struck a major trade deal, which Trump himself hailed as a relationship with “the biggest trading partnership in the world.”
While backing Ukraine’s EU membership and advocating for a militarily strong “steel porcupine” nation, von der Leyen is also making a pragmatic appeal to Trump’s business instincts. The implicit message is that a stable, secure Europe is a better and more reliable economic partner for the United States.
Her economic argument complements the military and political cases being made by other leaders in the delegation, like NATO’s Mark Rutte and France’s Emmanuel Macron. Together, they present a holistic picture of why a just peace for Ukraine is in everyone’s best interest, including America’s bottom line.