By Euronews
Published on •Updated
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.
Source: Euro News
