Summary
According to Reuters, the United States plans to hand over command of two major NATO headquarters — in Naples (Italy) and in Norfolk (Virginia) — to European officers. This is a quiet but significant change in the Alliance's structure, reflecting a desire for a greater European contribution to collective defense.
Details of the reshuffle
Unnamed military sources told Reuters that both headquarters are currently led by U.S. admirals. Under the reshuffle, European officers will take over leadership of the Allied Joint Force Command in Naples and the Joint Force Command in Norfolk. A NATO spokesperson confirmed that this is part of an agreed new distribution of responsibilities among the Alliance’s senior officers.
"Allies have agreed on a new distribution of senior-officer responsibilities within NATO's command structure, in which European allies, including the newest NATO members, will play a more prominent role in the Alliance's military leadership"
— NATO spokesperson (Reuters)
What remains with the U.S.
At the same time, according to the same source, the U.S. will retain leadership of three slightly lower-level commands that have substantial operational responsibility: Allied Air Command, Allied Maritime Command and Allied Land Command. Earlier, The Washington Post and Reuters also reported plans to cut around 200 positions in NATO structures responsible for planning military and intelligence operations.
Why this matters for Ukraine
The redistribution of command is more than a personnel decision. It's a signal: European allies are willing to take on a larger share of responsibility for the continent's security. For Ukraine, this means two key things.
First, an increased role for European command could lead to faster decision-making and better coordination on the European dimension of defense. Second, responsibility must be backed by resources: an increased role without the appropriate personnel, equipment and intelligence integration will become a declaration rather than practical assistance.
Analytical context
The decision aligns with pressure from Washington — part of its long-standing logic: asking Europeans to invest more in their defense. But the link between "more responsibility" and "more effective support for Ukraine" is not automatic. The effect will depend on concrete steps: rotations, interoperability standards, intelligence sharing and funding of operations.
Conclusion
This reshuffle is an important milestone towards a more balanced transatlantic defense. However, for Ukraine the key question remains practical: will allies turn declarations into visible resources and operational support? The answer will depend on further decisions by European capitals and concrete steps by NATO.
