Meet the woman Trump calls Europe's most powerful leader

With geopolitical tensions flaring in June, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wanted to get President Trump alone at a Group of Seven summit in Canada.

- Laurence Norman, Bertrand Benoit & Kim Mackrael

She surprised his security team, taking Trump by the arm and leading him to a sofa for a chat. There, the two discussed Ukraine, China and trade. It was one of the moments, her aides say, that has helped her bridge a divide with Trump and thaw frosty trans-Atlantic relations.

The 66-year-old von der Leyen—a mother of seven and a doctor who specialized in women's health—has pushed for months to convince Trump of the European Union's value to the U.S. To get there, she and her team put aside clashing styles and political differences with Trump in search of comity.

Von der Leyen tapped lessons from a sometimes rocky career in shaping her approach. She worked to engage Trump directly, often using his own language and avoiding specific terms he dislikes. When they speak, aides say, she marks her red lines and specifies her goals, without relying on talking points.

"She can resist the temptation to take a fight if that fight doesn't serve a purpose," said former EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager, adding that von der Leyen is handling relations with Trump well.

The effort has shown signs it is paying off. Trump, a longtime EU critic, showered praise on his European colleagues at a recent White House meeting on Ukraine, calling von der Leyen one of Europe's most powerful people. The two leaders echoed each other's comments on the plight of Ukrainian children abducted by Russians at the meeting. Trump has also lauded a trade deal he negotiated with von der Leyen.

Now, von der Leyen's strategy is facing fresh tests from both sides of the Atlantic. Trump recently threatened Europe with new tariffs and trade restrictions over EU tech regulations. Some European business leaders and politicians have denounced the trade agreement, reached in late July at a meeting at one of Trump's Scotland properties, accusing her of rolling over to the U.S. president.