A Woman at the Heart of Europe
(READING TEST WITH NO COMMERCIAL PURPOSES) Just days after Ursula von der Leyen returned from a controversial visit to China on April 7th, she had been due to fly to South America to nudge a trade deal along. In a small act of mercy, the meeting with the Brazilian president has had to be postponed. She probably needs the breather. In the past four months her diary has included a visit to President Joe Biden in Washington, an address to the Canadian parliament, tea with King Charles, a guest appearance at a German cabinet meeting, repeat summits of the eu’s 27 national heads in Brussels and trips to see the leaders of Britain, Estonia, France, Italy, Norway, Sweden and Ukraine. Next month she will jet off to attend the g7 summit in Japan. These jaunts are no grandstanding indulgence. The eu is in the midst of upheaval. War in Europe has forced a recasting of its six-decade peace project. Mrs von der Leyen is shaping the response to the challenges buffeting the eu, from missing Rus...