A worthy candidate: how will replacing Stoltenberg with Rutte affect NATO?

The powers of the current NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will end in October 2024. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is being considered as a possible new candidate for the post of Secretary General of the Alliance.

Expert on foreign and security policy at the Center for Defense Strategies , diplomat Alexander Khara told Channel 24,what prospects for Ukraine might the likely replacement of Stoltenberg with Rutte have? Note that supporters of Rutte's candidacy believe that the Prime Minister of the Netherlands will be able to cope with Donald Trump if he wins the US presidential election.

Rutte is a good politician

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is a worthy candidate and a good politician, the diplomat noted. There is no argument about its quality. In addition, the Netherlands showed their support for Ukraine.

“However, I would like to see a representative from Central-Eastern Europe in this post, for example, Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas or Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins. This would be a very good signal that not only “old” Europe is making a decision, but also Europe, which is acutely aware of the threat from Russia,” said Hara.

However, the most important thing is that “old” Europe is aware of the threat from Russia and the best way to cope with this threat is to help Ukraine.

Change of NATO Secretary General: what is known

• In November 2023, Western media wrote that the candidacy of Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte for the post of NATO Secretary General has a “strong consensus” among many allies.
• At the same time, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Latvian Foreign Minister also expressed interest in this post Krisjanis Karins.
• In July 2023, after the United States rejected the candidacy of British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, the President of the European Commission was named the best candidate. Joe Biden allegedly tried to persuade Ursula von der Leyen to succeed Jens Stoltenberg amid concerns that a suitable candidate had not emerged within the next 12 months.