NATO named outgoing Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte as its next secretary general on Wednesday, at a crucial time as NATO supports Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Last week, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Iohannis’ sole opponent for the position, announced his withdrawal from the race.
“It is a tremendous honour to be appointed Secretary-General of NATO.” In a post on the X platform on Wednesday, Rutte stated that the Alliance is and will remain the foundation of our collective security.
The alliance has announced that Rutte will assume his new role on October 1, as the 10-year tenure of the current NATO chief, Jens Stoltenberg, concludes.
Rutte will take over NATO as it is rushing to strengthen its own defenses and lend support to Ukraine’s defenses against Russia’s invasion. As the deadliest war on European soil in decades continues, the alliance must delicately balance rearmament and increased military spending without inadvertently angering Moscow and intensifying the conflict.
