MONITORING (SW) – Mark Rutte, the former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, officially has started his role as the new Secretary General of NATO on Tuesday, October 1.
NATO officials and diplomats expect Rutte to uphold the priorities set by his predecessor, Jens Stoltenberg, within the 32-member alliance.
Reports indicate that NATO officials have urged Rutte to encourage member countries to increase their military spending.
Rutte stepped down from his position as Prime Minister earlier the year 2024, after 14 years in office.
He assumes leadership of NATO amid ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and escalating crises in the Middle East.
Stoltenberg led NATO for nearly a decade, overseeing significant developments, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, during his tenure as the head of the world’s largest military and security organization.
“Mark has the perfect background to become a great secretary general,” a visibly emotional Stoltenberg said as he ended a decade in office.
“He has served as prime minister for 14 years and led four different coalition governments, so therefore he knows how to make compromises, create consensus, and these are skills which are very much valued here at NATO,” Stoltenberg said.
Rutte said that he “cannot wait to get to work.”
After hundreds of NATO staffers applauded the two men as they moved inside to the great hall where North Atlantic Council meetings are held at the level of ambassadors, ministers or leaders, Stoltenberg helped his successor to get started by presenting him with a Viking gavel to use when chairing meetings, according to AP news agency.
Rutte said his priorities would be NATO’s support for Ukraine, with the war now in its third year, increasing defense spending and strengthening partnerships that the alliance has established with other countries around the world, notably in Asia and the Middle East.
Rutte also underlined the importance of keeping the trans-Atlantic bond between the United States, Canada and Europe strong, and expressed confidence that he can work well with whoever is elected to the White House.
