As Denmark’s Prime Minister disqualifies herself from consideration to be the next NATO Secretary-General, calls for NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to continue serving as the leader of the largest security alliance in the world, increased.
The former Norwegian Prime Minister Stoltenberg, has served as NATO’s highest civilian representative since 2014. In order to maintain stability after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, his tenure, which was set to expire last year, was prolonged.
However, on July 11 to 12, a summit would be held in Vilnius, Lithuania, where U.S. President Joe Biden and his NATO colleagues will select a new leader. No one has officially put forth a candidate, and decision-makers often reach an agreement on an appointment through consensus.
Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, was considered the front-runner after her meeting with Biden earlier this month. NATO would be eager to nominate a woman to the top position.
However, Frederiksen stated in a broadcast interview that; “No, I am not on my way to NATO.” She did, however, disclosed that, if Stoltenberg agreed to prolong his term, she would offer her support to him.
According to Stoltenberg, he would not be asking for a fourth term extension. An economist by training, Stoltenberg was set to succeed the outgoing governor of the Norwegian Central Bank, when the conflict in Ukraine broke out in full last year.
Also, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius made it clear at NATO headquarters that, if a Stoltenberg extension was required, he would support it. Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, has likewise disqualified herself from running.
Stoltenberg did not definitely rule out when asked if he might be prepared to remain in his position on Thursday, but he said to reporters, “I don’t have any intention of seeking an extension.” Oana Lungescu, a longtime spokeswoman for Stoltenberg, will leave NATO at the end of August.
No Change In Kremlin’s Nuclear Stance, NATO Claims
Following President Alexander Lukashenko’s assertion that, Belarus had already acquired some tactical nuclear weapons from Moscow, the leader of the military alliance averred that, NATO has seen no indication that, Russia had shifted its nuclear posture.
Lukashenko arrogantly threatened that, he wouldn’t be hesitant to command their use, if Belarus came under attack. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the weapons will be sent to Belarus next month, and would be completely under Moscow’s supervision.
“Naturally, we are paying close attention to what Russia is doing,” Stoltenberg said. Before presiding over a gathering of NATO defense ministers at the organization’s headquarters in Brussels, Stoltenberg disclosed to the press that, “so far there haven’t been any shifts in the nuclear attitude that call for any alterations in our stance.”
On Friday, the covert planning committee for NATO’s nuclear defense would convene. The alliance is concerned about Putin’s threats, and his decisions to have Russia withdraw from significant arms control accords, but the conference has been planned for some time and is not in response to recent happenings.
“Russia’s nuclear rhetoric and messaging is reckless and dangerous. Russia must know that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. Russia has invested heavily in new modern nuclear capabilities and also deployed more nuclear capabilities, including close to NATO borders, for instance, in the high north.”
Jens Stoltenberg, General Secretary of NATO.
Earlier this year, Putin issued a warning to the West, as it increased military assistance for Ukraine. He disclosed his intended transfer of short-range nuclear weapons to Belarus, a neighbor and friend of Moscow, as an outpost for assaults in Ukraine.
During their discussion a week ago, Putin promised that, the facilities for the weapons would be finished by July 7–8, and that they would be deployed to Belarusian territory immediately after that.
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