NATO appoints outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as its next secretary-general

 

BRUSSELS (AP) — 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.

NATO ambassadors sealed Rutte's appointment during a meeting at the headquarters of the 32-nation alliance in Brussels. At a conference in Washington on July 9–11, U.S. President Joe Biden and his counterparts will formally welcome him to their table.

On October 1, the departing Dutch premier will succeed the current secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg of Norway, who has served as the head of the organization for more than ten years. His mandate was repeatedly extended, partly to ensure continuity following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Stoltenberg expressed his gratitude to his allies for selecting Mark Rutte as his successor.