At NATO headquarters in Brussels, the official handover of the leadership of the alliance from the previous Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to his successor Mark Rutte, quoted by BTA.
„I leave the alliance with mixed feelings, but I have a wonderful successor in the post,”, Stoltenberg told journalists. He noted that it was difficult to leave an organization he had served for 10 years and that he would miss the job, but stressed that together with his colleagues they had achieved a lot. Stoltenberg pointed out that Rutte has excellent skills in reaching an agreement – a quality that is important for his new position.
„I can't wait to get to work,” said Mark Rutte. He pointed out that NATO is stronger and bigger today, mainly thanks to Stoltenberg, and added: “I will do everything in my power to keep NATO strong as a rock”.
The new Secretary General emphasized the importance of support for Ukraine, saying that the main task of the alliance remains the protection of citizens and values of member states. Rutte identified support for Ukraine as a top priority, along with increasing defense spending and expanding partnerships, including with countries in the Far East.
When asked about his future work against the background of the upcoming US presidential election, Rutte said that he knows both main candidates well and will work with each of them.