Biden nominates new top US general in Europe

By Barbara Starr, CNN Pentagon Correspondent

Gen. Christopher Cavoli, the current head of US Army forces in Europe and Africa has been nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as the top US general in Europe as head of US European Command, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced Tuesday.

If confirmed, Cavoli will take charge of some 100,000 US troops from all services stationed in Europe as Russia continues to carry out its war on Ukraine.

If confirmed he will take charge of the daily US military effort to assess Russian military moves in Europe and oversee the supply of US and allied weapons into Ukraine. European Command has established an extensive effort to coordinate Ukraine’s weapons requests and help work to see what can be provided by both the US and the allies. Weapons shipments have continuously arrived along NATO’s eastern flank where they are picked up by Ukrainian personnel and brought into the country by rail or truck.

Forces in European Command have also begun training small numbers of Ukrainian forces outside of the country on key systems such as towed artillery.

NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu confirmed on Twitter later on Tuesday that the alliance’s North Atlantic Council had approved Cavoli’s nomination to be Supreme Allied Commander Europe. In that role he will be overseeing NATO air forces who regularly fly across Europe to track Russian aircraft especially when they fly without identifying themselves.

He would replace Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters who is scheduled to retire.

Cavoli speaks Russian and served as Russia director on the staff of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He also served a combat tour in western Afghanistan and has extensive knowledge of land based combat operations.

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