NATO on Tuesday prolonged Secretary Basic Jens Stoltenberg’s contract by one other yr, opting to stay with an skilled chief as struggle rages on the alliance’s doorstep relatively than attempt to agree on a successor.
Stoltenberg, a former prime minister of Norway, has been the transatlantic safety alliance’s chief since 2014 and his tenure has already been prolonged three different occasions.
The choice means continuity on the prime of NATO as its 31 members grapple with the problem of supporting Ukraine in repelling Moscow’s invasion whereas avoiding a direct battle between NATO and Russian forces.
Stoltenberg, 64, is broadly seen throughout the alliance as a gentle chief and affected person consensus-builder. The choice to increase his tenure to Oct. 1, 2024, comes forward of a summit of NATO leaders in Vilnius, Lithuania, subsequent week.
Stoltenberg mentioned he was honored by the choice.
“The transatlantic bond between Europe and North America has ensured our freedom and safety for practically 75 years, and in a extra harmful world, our Alliance is extra vital than ever,” he mentioned.
U.S. President Joe Biden and leaders of different NATO nations additionally hailed the choice.
“Along with his regular management, expertise, and judgment, Secretary Basic Stoltenberg has introduced our Alliance by means of probably the most vital challenges in European safety since World Struggle II,” Biden mentioned in a press release.
A White Home assertion mentioned Biden spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday to evaluate preparations for the Vilnius summit.
“They mentioned a variety of points that leaders will think about on the Summit, together with methods to additional strengthen the Alliance,” the assertion mentioned.
Diplomats and analysts give Stoltenberg excessive marks for preserving NATO collectively over Ukraine, hanging a steadiness between these demanding most assist for Kyiv and others urging extra warning out of concern of sparking a worldwide battle.
Ukraine and the Vilnius Summit
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy provided his congratulations to Stoltenberg in a phone name and mentioned he would “look ahead to persevering with our fruitful cooperation.”
Zelenskiy on Telegram mentioned he and Stoltenberg “coordinated our positions” forward of the Vilnius summit, the place Ukraine needs a sign that it will probably safe NATO membership.
“Now’s the time for highly effective selections and concrete steps on this course,” he mentioned.
Zelenskiy’s international minister, Dmytro Kuleba, welcomed Stoltenberg’s extension and his “sturdy management.
Stoltenberg additionally received widespread reward for guiding the alliance by means of extreme transatlantic turbulence in the course of the U.S. presidency of Donald Trump, who overtly speculated about taking the US out of NATO.
However the choice to stay with Stoltenberg additionally mirrored a failure to succeed in consensus on a successor after he declared in February that he was not looking for an extra extension.
“NATO member states have determined logically sufficient that one of the best secretary common at the moment on {the marketplace} is the one they have already got. Expertise issues particularly at probably the most testing occasions in NATO’s historical past,” mentioned Jamie Shea, a former senior NATO official now with the Chatham Home think-tank.
Amongst these thought-about as potential successors to Stoltenberg had been British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
However neither they nor others floated by diplomats appeared to have the assist of all NATO members because the Vilnius summit approached. With leaders eager to keep away from wrangling there over a brand new secretary common, they turned again to Stoltenberg.
His subsequent duties embrace overseeing a transformation of NATO forces to refocus on defending in opposition to any Russian assault, after a long time through which NATO focused on missions past its borders, comparable to in Afghanistan and the Balkans.
He may even must handle variations over how concerned NATO ought to grow to be in Asia, with the US pushing for a larger function in countering China, whereas others comparable to France insist NATO should preserve give attention to the North Atlantic space.
Shea mentioned NATO now wants to think about succession planning and determine somebody who will replicate its future picture and course, and builds on partnerships with different organizations such because the European Union.
—Reporting by Andrew Grey; Modifying by Marine Strauss, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Peter Graff, Alex Richardson, Ron Popeski and Mark Porter
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