NATO confirms Mark Rutte as its new Secretary General.
Dutch acting Prime Minister Mark Rutte has been officially appointed as the next NATO secretary general, replacing Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg, the US-led military bloc announced on June 26. Rutte will assume the position on October 1.
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The decision to appoint the 57-year-old veteran politician, the longest-serving prime minister in Dutch history, known for his staunch support for Ukraine and his consensus-building skills, was made on June 26 by NATO's main political decision-making body.
Writing on X, Rutte declared the appointment a “great honor” for him, adding that “the Alliance is and will remain the cornerstone of our collective security” and praising Stoltenberg for “outstanding leadership over the past 10 years”.
The selection of Rutte came after months of debate for the position, with candidates including former UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis. Rutte's appointment was almost certainly sealed after President Iohannis became the last remaining strong contender to drop out last week, while Hungary and Slovakia indicated they would support the Dutch politician. Estonian Prime Minister Kallas is expected to replace Josep Borrell as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs.
Hungary agreed to support Rutte after it was allowed to reject the bloc's efforts to support Kyiv, while Slovakia backed his candidacy in exchange for assurances that NATO would protect its airspace.
Rutte's appointment comes amid continued large-scale military support from NATO countries to Ukraine. The Dutch Prime Minister described Russia as an "adversary," while supporting aid to Ukraine. At the same time, Rutte stated earlier this month that while the West must "ensure that Ukraine wins," "Russia will not disappear… and in the long term we must find a form of relationship with Russia."
Immediately following the appointment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that NATO was unlikely to change its overall policy toward Russia under the leadership of the new secretary-general. Peskov added: “Currently, the alliance is hostile towards us.” Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelensky wrote on social media: “We anticipate that our joint work to ensure the protection of people and freedoms throughout the entire Euro-Atlantic community will continue at a good pace.” US President Joe Biden believes that the next NATO head, Mark Rutte, will be “excellent” and will promote efforts to support Ukraine.
