Philip Breedlove

The events of 2014 drew the world's attention once again to the role of NATO in preserving the hard-won peace of Europe. No individual bears greater responsibility for the readiness and coordination of the world's largest military alliance than the SACEUR (Supreme Allied Commander Europe), General Philip Breedlove. As SACEUR, General Breedlove is commander of all U.S. forces in Europe as well as the joint collective security operations of NATO's 28 member nations and its 22 Partners for Peace. A trained fighter pilot with over 3,500 flying hours—primarily in the F-16 fighter—he flew combat missions in support of peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and implementing the peace settlement in Kosovo. Prior to his assignment with NATO he was Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force; he previously commanded the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano, Italy and the 3rd Air Force in Ramstein, Germany. He is regularly quoted in the press regarding security in Western Europe, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, past scene of some of history's most vicious conflicts. Through his blog, newspaper columns and other venues, he is a forceful advocate for NATO's readiness to defend the one billion inhabitants of the member nations who depend upon the alliance for their collective security. In this podcast, recorded at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco, General Breedlove discusses NATO's mission in light of the situation in Ukraine and explicitly condemns Russia's aggressive actions against its neighbor.