The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen did not receive an invitation to attend the January 20 at the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump in Washington, a Commission spokesman said today.

“We have not received an invitation and there are no plans for him to attend,” said spokeswoman Paula Pinho when asked during her daily press briefing. Commission.

However, he added: “we are trying to get in touch as soon as possible with the new administration” of the US, and before January 20.

The Commission president, who has been hospitalized with severe pneumonia that has kept her at home in Hanover, announced a week ago that she was canceling all her foreign engagements until mid-January.

By tradition, no head of state or foreign government is invited to the inauguration ceremony of American presidents. However, Donald Trump decided to do otherwise by inviting several foreign leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping who declined the invitation. Instead, the prime ministers of Italy and Hungary, Giorgia Meloni and Viktor Orbán, are expected to travel to the US capital on January 20.