The head of the US Army in Europe and Africa assumes command of NATO operations

BRUSSELS, 4 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The until now Commander General of the United States in Europe and Africa, Chris Cavoli, has assumed command of all NATO operations on Monday by becoming the new Supreme Allied Commander in Europe (SACEUR).

The change of command was made official at a ceremony at the NATO Military Headquarters (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium, in which NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg highlighted Cavoli's 35-year military career and Specifically, that as US commander-in-chief in Europe and Africa, he has managed the largest reinforcement of the US presence in decades, exceeding 100,000 troops on European soil in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Stoltenberg has indicated the "turning point" in transatlantic security with the return of the conflict to Europe, due to Russian aggression in Ukraine, and the rise of strategic competition, referring to China.

"To be named SACEUR is to serve 30 allies and a billion people; it is to lead the millions of soldiers throughout the Alliance and the dozens of troops under direct command; it is to protect an area that goes from northern Norway to the coasts of the Mediterranean and from the Atlantic coast to the eastern border of NATO," Stoltenberg said.

"Being named SACEUR is defending our democratic values ​​and our way of life", the former Norwegian Prime Minister stressed, during the act in which he assessed the role of General Tod Wolters, dealing during his time at the head of the operations of NATO with the coronavirus crisis and the end of the NATO mission in Afghanistan, in addition to the unprecedented military reinforcement of the Atlantic Alliance and the new Defense plans in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

NATO's supreme commander in Europe is appointed every three years and is always held by an American, who combines it with the position of top commander of US forces in Europe.