Mark Rutte will certainly be the new Secretary General of NATO after Jens Stoltenberg's term expires, reported nos.nl.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Rutte's only rival, will soon withdraw his candidacy.
Rutte quickly managed to win a lot of support and from the beginning was the preferred candidate of the US, the most important partner in NATO, according to the media in the Netherlands.
In order to be elected Secretary General, Rutte needs the green light from every single member of the Alliance. Hungary was creating serious obstacles to his candidacy and demanded an apology for statements Rutte made in 2021 about Hungarian legislation against people of different sexual orientations. In addition, Orbán wanted a guarantee that Hungary would not have to help Ukraine in the war started by Russia.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a press conference with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in Washington confirmed that the Alliance is close to reaching an agreement on the candidacy of a new Secretary General. He pointed out that Rutte is a “strong candidate”. Stoltenberg said the issue was close to being resolved after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced his willingness to support Rutte's candidacy.
Rute's path to the post was paved by Hungary, which announced that it had nothing against him standing at the head of the Alliance, notes AP. Earlier, the prime minister gave written guarantees that if elected to the post, he would not force Budapest to participate in the new NATO aid project for Ukraine.
The assurances of the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, sent in writing to his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán, remove a significant obstacle in front of him on his way to the leadership post in the Alliance, according to the AP. The agency adds that this gives NATO the opportunity to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine at the bloc's summit in the US capital Washington from July 7 to 11, when US President Joe Biden is also expected to attend. The forum will also mark the 75th anniversary of the creation of the Alliance. The current Secretary General accepted the terms that Hungary would not be obliged to send troops or provide funding under a joint project to support Kiev. However, Orban wanted to hear it from Rutte, who is the favorite to succeed Stoltenberg.