Newly re-elected European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.S. President Joe Biden, who is under significant domestic pressure, spoke by telephone on Saturday.

Ms von der Leyen and the White House confirmed that Mr Biden congratulated her on her re-election.

According to the U.S. government, the discussion also covered support for Ukraine and efforts to hold Russia accountable for its aggression.

The 65-year-old Ms von der Leyen wrote in a post on the social media platform X that the EU and the U.S. were facing common challenges in Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific region.

She said they were “partners, friends and allies.”

The 81-year-old Biden is currently being urged by an increasing number of party members to not run again in the presidential election in November.

This is primarily due to his performance in a TV debate with challenger Donald Trump, which raised significant doubts about his mental and physical fitness.

Mr Biden, who is currently isolating due to a COVID-19 infection and not appearing in public, has so far remained outwardly unfazed by the internal party criticism.

Last Thursday, Ms von der Leyen cleared the final hurdle to remain president of the powerful European Commission for another five years with her election by the European Parliament.

In this role, she regularly has contact with the U.S. president.

(dpa/NAN)