Germany names Army Chief Freuding as next chief of defense

German Army Chief Christian Freuding will become the country’s chief of defense, assuming the job of Germany’s highest-ranking soldier in February 2027, the defense ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

He will succeed Carsten Breuer, who was chosen as the next head of NATO’s military committee, the alliance’s top military authority and a key advisory body for its political leaders.

Freuding became army chief in October 2025 after years of overseeing Berlin’s arms supplies to Kyiv, pushing for the implementation of new technology tested in Ukraine and initiating a drone regiment in the German army.

“Lieutenant General Freuding embodies camaraderie and the values of our Bundeswehr,” Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in the statement.

“He is guided by a clear moral compass,” the minister added. “He has impressively demonstrated that, even in times of major changes and challenges, he keeps a cool head, makes the right decisions quickly, and puts them into action.”