A brand new common is poised to take command of U.S. and NATO forces in Europe after getting closing approval from Congress as the US works to buttress Ukraine in its battle in opposition to Russian invaders.
On Thursday evening by unanimous consent, the Senate confirmed Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli to change into the brand new head of U.S. European Command, or EUCOM. Cavoli will even be dual-hatted as NATO’s supreme allied commander.
Cavoli will take these roles over from Air Drive Gen. Tod Wolters in a change-of-command ceremony July 1, EUCOM stated in a information launch Friday.
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Cavoli, who has served as commanding common of U.S. Army Europe and Africa since October 2020, will take cost of U.S. forces in Europe at a precarious time for the continent.
After faltering in its preliminary objective to rapidly seize Kyiv, Russia has been making plodding however notable progress in Ukraine’s japanese Donbas area utilizing a near-constant barrage of artillery hearth.
The USA has been attempting to hurry weapons to Ukraine to stave off Russia’s advance. The latest bundle of $450 million in weapons, together with 4 extra Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket Programs, was introduced Thursday, bringing the full worth of weapons despatched to Ukraine because the battle started in February to $6.1 billion.
U.S. troops, who have been coaching Ukrainian forces inside Ukraine till shortly earlier than the battle started, have additionally been coaching the Ukrainians on the extra superior weaponry in Germany since late April.
The variety of U.S. forces in Europe has swelled to greater than 100,000 in current months to calm the nerves of NATO allies fearful Russia will not cease at Ukraine.
Along with managing U.S. efforts to assist Ukraine, Cavoli will even must take care of ripple results in NATO from the invasion. For instance, Sweden and Finland lately formally utilized to affix the alliance, however are going through resistance from NATO ally Turkey, which is searching for concessions from the US, similar to arms gross sales.
Throughout his affirmation listening to, Cavoli touted the capabilities that Sweden and Finland would deliver to NATO, calling Finland’s military “well-equipped, very well-trained” and Sweden’s navy within the Baltic Sea an “huge army significance to the alliance.”
Cavoli additionally hinted on the prospect of U.S. involvement in countering Russia’s presence within the Black Sea, the place it’s blocking Ukrainian grain exports and elevating fears of world famine. He didn’t expound on specifics of what U.S. forces might do to assist the scenario, however stated, “Clearly, the present occasions within the Black Sea area are going to require us to return and be sure that we alter all the pieces for the results of this battle.”
— Rebecca Kheel may be reached at rebecca.kheel@army.com. Observe her on Twitter @reporterkheel.
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