Ambassador Martin Jaeger appointed Germany's top intelligence official

Veteran diplomat Martin Jaeger will assume leadership of Germany's foreign intelligence service BND in mid-September, government officials announced Thursday.

The 61-year-old diplomat, currently serving as Germany's ambassador to Ukraine, will replace Bruno Kahl as BND president following Kahl's nine-year tenure.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz's intelligence services coordinator, Thorsten Frei, congratulated Jaeger, saying he will strengthen the BND's international position and ensure closer cooperation with other Western intelligence services.

"Given the current tense security situation, this appointment is a significant asset. With his many years of professional experience in crisis-ridden countries, Mr. Jaeger is ideally equipped to successfully fulfill the role of BND President," he said in a statement.

"Our foreign intelligence service faces unprecedented demands today, and its role as an intelligence provider and early warning system has never been more vital for the federal government. With Mr. Jaeger's leadership, the BND is excellently positioned to address these challenges," he added.

Before his diplomatic assignment in Ukraine, Jaeger served as German ambassador to Afghanistan (2013-2014) and Iraq (2021-2023). He also worked as state secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (2018-2021) and as press spokesman for former Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble (2014-2016).

The outgoing BND president, Bruno Kahl, will become the new German ambassador to the Vatican.