General Graziano, accompanied by his Director of Cabinet, Major General Fernando Paglialunga, took part in an office call with General Wolters as well as SHAPE’s Chief of Staff, General Markus Kneip.
The generals discussed, among other things, NATO-EU relations, military mobility within Europe, cyber defence and hybrid warfare. General Graziano was also assured of SHAPE’s commitment to Operation ALTHEA.
The EU-led military Operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) supports the authorities of BiH in their efforts to maintain a safe and secure environment in the country. ALTHEA was launched in 2004 and now counts an EU Force of more than 600 troops in-theatre from 15 member states and 5 partner countries, but is able to call on significant reserves from EU and NATO countries. The Operation Headquarters of Operation ALTHEA is at SHAPE and SHAPE’s Vice Chief of Staff (VCOS), Lieutenant General Olivier Rittimann, currently holds the operational command.
Chairman of the European Union Military Committee, General Claudio Graziano, met with Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Tod D. Wolters, during a visit to SHAPE on Friday, Nov. 15, 2019 - NATO Photo by SFC Pia Dunkel, DEU Army
The European Union Military Committee (EUMC) is the body of the European Union’s Common Security and Defence Policy which is composed of member states’ Chiefs of Defence. The EUMC gives military advice to the European Union’s (EU) High Representative and Political and Security Committee.
General Claudio Graziano assumed his duties as Chairman of the European Union Military Committee in Nov. 2018. Prior to his current position, General Graziano was the Chief of the Italian Defence General Staff.