The White House announced today that it wants a new ambassador at NATO, Kurt Volker, currently Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia at the Department of State. His nomination will be submitted for senate confirmation shortly. The Bush administration seems to expect easy confirmation for Mr. Volker who has been a key aid under Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Dan Fried in rebuilding U.S.-European relations in the second Bush term.

European Affairs published a profile of Mr. Volker in conjunction with an interview with him in the current issue. He outlined the Administration priorities for its remaining months in office.

Before his appointment as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia at the Department of State, Mr. Volker served as the Director of NATO Policy and Acting Senior Director for Europe at the National Security Council.

The current Ambassador, Victoria Nuland, a career diplomat who has been in the post several years, is reportedly leaving government. Her husband, author Robert Kagan, recently published A Dangerous Nation on the history of American foreign policy. The second volume is due to appear this spring. His book was reviewed by European Affairs.