Gen. Wiesław Kukuła, chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, announced the appointment this week, calling it “an important vote of confidence in the Polish armed forces and our defense efforts.”
The specific general has not yet been named.
At the moment, only two Polish officers hold four-star rank: Kukuła and Gen. Sławomir Wojciechowski, Poland’s representative to NATO and EU military committees, state news agency PAP reported.
However, the role may go to a lieutenant general promoted before the transition, it said.
NATO’s press office confirmed on Tuesday that the decision is part of a broader shift in leadership responsibilities among its three operational commands—JFC Brunssum in the Netherlands, JFC Naples in Italy, and JFC Norfolk in the United States.
The move is intended to strengthen the role of European allies in NATO's command structure, with the United States reaffirming its full commitment to the alliance.
JFC Brunssum oversees NATO’s military operations in Central Europe. Under the new rotation system, Poland and Germany will alternate leadership of the command.
Similarly, Italy and the United Kingdom will take over command roles in Naples and Norfolk respectively.
The current commander of JFC Brunssum, German General Ingo Gerhartz, will complete his term before being succeeded by the Polish officer.
Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk said on Tuesday that a Polish general will assume the position of chief of staff at Brunssum in July, with full command to follow.
Polish Lt. Gen. Krzysztof Król previously served as chief of staff at Brunssum from 2020 to 2023.
(jh/gs)
Source: Polish Radio, PAP