Mark Rutte, the outgoing prime minister of the Netherlands, was named the next secretary-general of NATO on Wednesday, placing him in control of the largest security alliance in the world at a crucial moment for European security as the conflict in Ukraine rages.
Mr Rutte will take over as Secretary General on October 1, 2024, when Mr Stoltenberg’s ten-year term at the leadership of the Alliance finishes.
This puts the outgoing Dutch prime minister in charge of the world’s greatest security organization at a vital juncture for European security, while the war in Ukraine rages. Mark Rutte is the Netherlands’ longest-serving prime minister, a staunch backer of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. NATO ambassadors confirmed Rutte’s appointment during a meeting at the organization’s headquarters in Brussels.
Mark Rutte believes NATO must be strong enough to resist Moscow and has been a main force behind Europe’s military backing for Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022. He believes that a military defeat for Moscow is critical to ensuring European peace.
“It is a tremendous honour to be appointed Secretary-General of NATO. The Alliance is and will remain the cornerstone of our collective security. Leading this organization is a responsibility I do not take lightly. I’m grateful to all the Allies for placing their trust in me. I look forward to taking up the position with great vigour in October, as successor to @jensstoltenberg, who has provided NATO with outstanding leadership for the past ten years, and for whom I have always had great admiration,” Rutte posted on X.
“Congratulations to @MinPres Mark Rutte on the Allies’ decision to make him the next Secretary General of NATO. “When Mr Rutte takes over this post from @JensStoltenberg in October, we anticipate that our joint work to ensure the protection of people and freedom throughout our entire Euro-Atlantic community will continue at a good pace,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X.
Warm congratulations to @MinPres Mark Rutte on being elected as the next NATO Secretary General.
We value our long-standing partnership with NATO, which helps us build resilience as we work towards a stable, secure, and more prosperous Moldova. Best wishes in this new role.
— Maia Sandu (@sandumaiamd) June 26, 2024
Jens Stoltenberg has held the position of NATO Secretary-General for over a decade, since 2014. His tenure has been marked by significant geopolitical challenges and efforts to strengthen NATO’s collective defense and cooperation among member states.
What are some of the important policies Rutte has promoted?
Support for Ukraine: Mark Rutte fully supported Ukraine’s right to self-defense during Russia’s invasion in 2022. Under his leadership, the Netherlands offered military equipment to Kyiv, including Leopard tanks and F-16 fighter planes.
Increased Defense Spending: raised Defense Spending: Rutte’s cabinet raised defense spending in the Netherlands to satisfy NATO’s requirement of at least 2% of GDP for defense. This investment included providing military weapons for Ukraine and bolstering the Dutch armed forces.
Consensus-Building Skills: Over his more than a dozen years in Dutch politics, Mark Rutte refined his ability to reach an agreement among difficult coalition partners. As NATO’s new Secretary General, he brings this experience to the international scene, seeking to strengthen the alliance in preparation for today’s and tomorrow’s problems.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an intergovernmental military alliance founded in 1949. Its principal goal is to ensure the collective defense of its member countries against external assault.
NATO was established on April 4, 1949, with the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C.