Politico: all 32 NATO members agree that Stoltenberg will be replaced by Rutte
Kyiv • UNN
All 32 NATO members have agreed to the candidacy of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the post of Secretary General of the Alliance, who will take over the leadership at a critical moment.
All 32 NATO members agreed with the candidacy of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the post of Secretary General of the Alliance, Politico reported, writes UNN.
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Mark Rutte will become the next secretary general of NATO after all 32 members of the alliance agreed that the outgoing Dutch prime minister will replace Jens Stoltenberg.
After approval from Hungary and Slovakia on Tuesday, Romania confirmed its support for Rutte on Thursday, and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis withdrew his candidacy for a top position in NATO.
"Rutte will take over the leadership of NATO at a critical moment. His new job will begin on October 2, just over a month before the US election, which will determine the fate of the military alliance that has become the most successful means of deterring an aggressive Russia in Eastern Europe.
And he notes that former US President Donald Trump, the current Republican candidate, promised to stay in NATO, but threatened to reduce American aid to Ukraine in the event of his re-election.
Observers, however, consider Rutte a "Trump whisperer" because of his ability to make deals with politicians of all backgrounds, even receiving recognition from the then American president: "I like this guy!",- the publication writes.
Rutte's approval also means that the issue of succession will be clarified by July, when NATO leaders travel to Washington to celebrate the alliance's 75th anniversary.
