Latest news with #MartinJäger
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Germany's Merz may appoint ambassador to Ukraine as head of German intelligence
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is apparently preparing to replace the head of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and is considering Martin Jäger, the current German ambassador to Ukraine, for the position. Source: German newspaper Spiegel, citing its own sources, as reported by European Pravda Details: Initial signs of a leadership change at the intelligence agency emerged immediately after Merz's government took office. Spiegel has information that the replacement of the head of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service has already been informally agreed upon, with Martin Jäger expected to take up the post. He is currently serving as Germany's ambassador to Ukraine. The current BND chief, Bruno Kahl, who has held the position for eight years, is set to become ambassador to the Vatican. He supposedly showed interest in the role even before the collapse of the "traffic light coalition" in late 2024, and his request is now expected to be fulfilled. Under the German government's plans, the BND is set to receive increased funding in the coming years, along with more flexible operational capabilities. Merz's team believes that with Jäger as head of the intelligence service and Philipp Wolff as intelligence coordinator in the chancellor's office, the BND's effectiveness will increase significantly. Read more: Europe Will Stretch from Lisbon to Luhansk – Ukraine Will Be In, Russia Out: Interview with German Ambassador to Ukraine Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Euronews
2 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Ambassador to Ukraine Jäger to become Germany's new spy chief
Martin Jäger, Germany's ambassador to Ukraine, is set to become the new head of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), German media reported on Wednesday, citing government sources. Jäger will replace Bruno Kahl as Germany's spy chief, with Kahl set to take up the ambassadorship to the Vatican. The German government has yet to officially confirm the change. Jäger is considered an experienced crisis diplomat due to his role as German ambassador to Ukraine, a post he has filled since 2023, the year after Russia's full-scale invasion of the country. He previously served as ambassador to Iraq and Afghanistan. In Germany, Jäger, a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, worked as a spokesperson for the finance ministry, then headed by Wolfgang Schäuble. He also worked as state secretary in the Ministry of the Interior. The Federal Intelligence Service is subordinate to the chancellery and therefore under Friedrich Merz, who is authorised to appoint the president. The BND is tasked with collecting and evaluating information of foreign and security policy significance and supplying the federal government with reports and analyses. The BND is one of the few government agencies authorised to use intelligence services such as espionage. According to German outlets, the German government is planning a fundamental reorganisation of the intelligence service and wants to provide the BND with more funding. The BND is also to be given more flexibility in terms of spying abroad and technical reconnaissance, according to the domestic press.
