Documents obtained by Euronews have revealed the brief timeframe in which European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the decision not to attend the reopening of Notre Dame last year, confirming that she had initially planned to attend the event just a couple of days prior.
The reopening of the iconic cathedral last December was a significant event for France following the successful Olympic Games the previous year, but it was also a delicate moment for relations between Brussels and Paris.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump, on his first trip to Europe after his re-election.
At the time, the Commission cited "scheduling issues" as the reason for von der Leyen's absence.
To Montevideo to announce the conclusion of trade talks between the European Union and Mercosur, a move strongly opposed by Paris.
The Commission has finished its negotiations with Mercosur countries, that is its responsibility," the Elysée stated in a previous announcement, also mentioning: "However, the agreement has not yet been signed or ratified. Therefore, this is not the conclusion of the matter.
At the time, acknowledging the significance that the Montevideo Mercosur agreement was reached during a sensitive period following the collapse of Michel Barnier's government.
Did the prospect of a cold reception at Notre Dame lead to von der Leyen's absence?
First the media, then Macron.
On December 6, the Commission's spokesperson informed the media that von der Leyen would not be attending the reopening ceremony, but it wasn't until the following day, in the afternoon, and just hours before the event was about to begin, that the EU executive's Paris office notified the Elysée that she would not be attending, according to an internal note.
A high-priority message, sent to the Élysée's protocol department, stated that von der Leyen had 'just' cancelled her visit to Paris for December 7 and 8.
"With our apologies and our gratitude for your understanding," the Commission's message to the French presidency concluded, without providing any explanation for her absence.
On 9 December, two days after the reopening, a Commission spokesperson stated that von der Leyen had never confirmed to the Élysée that she would attend in the first place.
"The president was unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts. There had been no official confirmation of participation at the Élysée due to ongoing scheduling problems," Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho stated to journalists.
However, in a letter dated December 4, 2024 - two days before von der Leyen's trip to Montevideo - the president confirmed his acceptance of Macron's invitation to the ceremony.
"I am pleased to confirm my availability to attend this event, which marks the renewal of a monument that is so dear to the hearts of your fellow citizens and also of so many citizens around the world," von der Leyen wrote to Macron.
The following day, the European Commission's Paris representation also confirmed that von der Leyen would attend the dinner that would follow the reopening ceremony on the afternoon of the seventh.
The Commission did not provide a response to a request for comment on von der Leyen's earlier acceptance, nor did they clarify the scheduling issues that had prevented her from attending at the time.