Already the favourite to lead NATO, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte now has the backing of the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany to succeed Jens Stoltenberg in this crucial post, in the midst of the war in Ukraine. Ednews reports the following referring to Le Monde.
In the absence of an agreement between the allies on a new personality, the current Secretary General was reappointed in the summer of 2023 for a further year, until 1 October 2024. The Norwegian will then have led the organisation for ten years, marked by ever-increasing tensions with Russia.
The name of the head of the resigning Dutch government, who is in charge of day-to-day affairs, has been circulating for months, and is gaining momentum following the public endorsements of three of the most important countries in the Atlantic Alliance, starting with NATO's leading diplomatic and military power, the United States.
Washington has made it "clear" to its allies that the Dutch Prime Minister would make "an excellent Secretary General", said John Kirby, spokesman for the US National Security Council, on Thursday 22 February.
