Key facts
- General Carsten Breuer, Germany's Chief of Defence, was elected as the next head of NATO's military committee.
- The election took place at a meeting of military chiefs from the 32-nation alliance in Copenhagen.
- Breuer will assume the role next summer, succeeding current chair Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone.
- The NATO military committee is the alliance's senior military authority and its chair advises the Secretary General.
- Breuer's appointment comes at a time of increased defense spending by European nations, driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and US political uncertainty.
- Germany aims to double its military expenditure to over €200 billion ($230 billion) by 2030.
General Carsten Breuer, Germany's Chief of Defence, has been elected as the next chairman of NATO's military committee, the alliance's top military authority and a key advisory body. Military chiefs from the 32-nation alliance elected Breuer at a meeting in Copenhagen, with his term set to begin next summer, succeeding Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone. Breuer, who earned the nickname "the chancellor's general" for his role in managing Germany's COVID-19 response, will take up the post during a demanding period for Euro-Atlantic security. Many European governments have increased defense spending in response to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and potential shifts in US commitment to the continent's defense. Germany, Europe's largest economy, is aiming to more than double its military expenditure to over €200 billion ($230 billion) by 2030. The NATO military committee's chair serves as the main military adviser to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.