NATO allies have selected outgoing Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte for the alliance’s top job.
Rutte’s appointment on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, became a formality after his only rival for the job, Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis announced last week that he was withdrawing from the race.
Rutte is due to take over from current Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, on October 1, 2024, when Stoltenberg’s “ten-year tenure at the helm of the Alliance will come to an end.”
In a social media post, Rutte described his nomination as “a tremendous honor.”
“The alliance is and will remain the cornerstone of our collective security. Leading this organization is a responsibility I do not take lightly,” he posted on X.
He added that he looks “forward to taking up the position with great vigor in October.”
In announcing his interest in the post last year, Rutte won support from key alliance members including the US, the UK, France and Germany.
Although some Eastern European countries initially argued for someone from their region to take up the post, they eventually backed Rutte, who is a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a staunch ally of Ukraine.
Rutte had to accept Hungary’s demand that it should not be obliged to provide personnel or funds for NATO’s new support plans for Ukraine.
NATO’s decisions are taken unanimously, so Rutte could only be confirmed after all 32 members of the alliance had agreed, as they did last week.
Rutte will have to deal with the challenge of maintaining allied support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion, while keeping NATO out of the conflict, and with the possible return of NATO sceptic Donald Trump to the White House after the US presidential election in November.
Rutte’s Appointment Welcomed
Stoltenberg welcomed Rutte’s selection as his successor.
He hailed Rutte as a “true trans Atlanticist, strong leader and consensus-builder.”
“I wish him every success as we continue to strengthen NATO for the challenges of today and tomorrow. I know I am leaving NATO in good hands.”
Jens Stoltenberg
Kyiv also hailed Rutte’s appointment as NATO chief, describing his role as “crucial.”
The Ukrainian presidency’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said on social media, “Congratulations to Mark Rutte on being elected as the new Secretary General of NATO. Your leadership and dedication to democratic principles are crucial for our shared future.”
Meanwhile, Oana Lungescu, a former chief NATO spokesperson expressed belief that Rutte is a good fit for the job.
“Like Stoltenberg, Rutte is a pragmatist and one of the few European politicians to have developed a good working relationship not just with Joe Biden, but also with Donald Trump. That could prove a key asset for NATO after the November U.S. presidential election.”
Oana Lungescu
Lungescu, who is now a Fellow with the defense and security think tank, the Royal United Services Institute, told a news agency that Rutte “is seen as a safe pair of hands to lead NATO in turbulent times, just as Stoltenberg has done for the last decade.”
“As a veteran of EU summits, Rutte will bring a different understanding of the complex NATO-EU relation than Stoltenberg,” Lungescu stated.
“But he will also need to ensure that the EU’s efforts on defence complement, rather than undermine NATO at this critical time,” he added.
It was said that Rutte will be congratulated by U.S President Joe Biden and his NATO counterparts at a summit in Washington from July 9, 2024, to July 11, 2024, which is focused on support for Ukraine against the Russian invasion.
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