Threats facing NATO 'no match' for the alliance, says new chief of military operations

Published connected 04/07/2025 - 15:01 GMT+2•Updated 15:52

The threats facing NATO are becoming much analyzable and intertwined but they stay "no match" for nan alliance, nan caller US General astatine nan caput of NATO's subject operations said connected Friday arsenic he took up his functions.

"These are consequential times," US Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich said pursuing a alteration of bid ceremonial successful Mons, Belgium, that saw him presume nan functions of NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).

"The challenges facing nan confederation and our partners are increasing much complex. The threats we look are only becoming much intertwined. But they are nary lucifer for nan unity, nan resolve, and nan shared purpose" wrong NATO, he added.

Grynkewich, who was appointed by US President Donald Trump, confirmed by nan US Senate and approved by NATO's North Atlantic Council, said that he intends to "maintain nan momentum" from his predecessor, General Christopher Cavoli, successful transforming nan alliance's bid operations.

Allies, he said, "stand fresh successful defence of our nations, and we're only going to get better".

SACEUR, who has ever been a US subject general, is responsible for nan readying and execution of each NATO operations, including nan recognition of forces required for missions. They besides make recommendations to NATO's governmental and subject authorities and, successful nan lawsuit of aggression against a NATO personnel state, are responsible for executing each subject measures wrong their capacity and authority to sphere aliases reconstruct nan information of confederation territory.

The position has nary fixed word pinch erstwhile SACEURs successful usability from 1 to 8 years.

A caller NATO defence spending target

General Cavoli described his successor arsenic "the serviceman we request here, now".

"He will lead our Alliance into its future, a early that we cognize is going to beryllium successful vulnerable time. We cognize that early will beryllium astir corporate defence, and it's a early that is going situation america to emergence to nan heights that we tin execute together," he besides said.

Allies past period agreed to importantly boost their defence spending target from 2% of GDP to 5% of GDP. The target is divided successful 2 pinch 3.5% to beryllium spent connected halfway defence spending (ie hardware), and 1.5% to spell towards defence-related investments including dual-purpose infrastructure and cyber security.

NATO leaders said successful their associated declaration that Russia poses a "long-term threat" to Euro-Atlantic security. The country, which launched a full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful early 2022, is believed to beryllium successful a position to onslaught a European state earlier nan extremity of nan decade.

The 5% target, based connected caller capacity targets friends besides agreed to, was a immense triumph for Trump who has chided European friends for not spending enough.

Washington has besides formed uncertainty complete its continued semipermanent support to friends and is expected to denote a pullback of troops and instrumentality towards nan extremity of summer.

Trump's seeming ambivalence towards nan confederation had led to rumours successful nan outpouring that Washington could relinquish SACEUR.

General Grynkewich is nan 21st SACEUR, a position created successful 1951 and first held by General Dwight D Eisenhower, who later became US president.