Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, has become the new Secretary General of NATO. His appointment was virtually secured when his sole opponent, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, withdrew his candidacy. Rutte will replace Jens Stoltenberg, who has been leading the alliance since 2014 and was supposed to step down a year ago but remained due to unforeseen circumstances.
Challenges in the New Role
57-year-old Rutte is taking on the position at a very challenging time. Russia continues its full-scale war against Ukraine, and the uncertainty regarding future military assistance from the US is only increasing ahead of the presidential elections in November. Donald Trump, who has a high chance of winning, has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with other NATO countries not spending enough on defense.
Support for Ukraine and Internal Contradictions
With the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European countries have significantly increased their defense budgets. Stoltenberg had previously emphasized the need for Europe to work with any US president who ends up in the White House. Rutte put forward his candidacy for the position of NATO Secretary General after announcing that he would step down from politics following the collapse of his ruling coalition in the Netherlands.
Rutte’s Appointment and Allies’ Reactions
Rutte, with his 14 years of experience at the highest levels of European politics and consistent support for Ukraine, received positive feedback from most NATO countries, including the US, UK, France, and Germany. However, Turkey, Hungary, and Romania initially expressed their reservations. Ankara withdrew its objections after Rutte’s personal visit to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Hungary agreed to withdraw its objections after Rutte promised not to demand military aid to Ukraine from them. Romania supported Rutte’s candidacy after Iohannis withdrew his candidacy.
Rutte’s Stance on the War in Ukraine
Mark Rutte supports a diplomatic resolution to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Speaking at the Peace Summit in Switzerland, organized by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, he expressed regret that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was not present at the negotiating table. He emphasized that peace is only possible if Russia adheres to basic international rules and values.
Mark Rutte’s appointment as NATO Secretary General has a significant impact on further NATO support for Ukraine in its struggle for independence and territorial integrity.
