NATO approves extending Stoltenberg’s mandate until October 1, 2024

The longest-serving NATO chief, the Norwegian socialist Jens Stoltenberg, will continue for another year at the helm of the Atlantic Alliance. The Member States have approved this Tuesday to extend his mandate for the fourth time, until October 1, 2024, Given the lack of consensus on the candidates to succeed him at a critical moment marked by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

“Honored by the decision of the NATO allies to extend my term as Secretary General until October 1, 2024. The transatlantic link between Europe and North America has ensured our freedom and security for nearly 75 years, and in a more dangerous world, our Alliance is more important than ever,” stoltenberg has written on his Twitter account.

The decision to renew Stoltenberg’s mandate, which had already been leaked last week, was adopted this Tuesday at the Atlantic Council, which brings together the ambassadors of the 31 member countries, and was will ratify at the summit of heads of state and government that will be held next week in Vilnius (Lithuania). The Secretary General will thus be able to preside over the Washington summit in the middle of of 2024, which will commemorate the NATO 75th anniversary.

[España ya ha destinado a Ucrania 575 M en ayudas, diez Leopard, munición y acoge a 170.000 refugiados]

At the meeting on Tuesday, the allies thanked the Secretary General for his “leadership” and his “commitment”which “have been instrumental in preserving transatlantic unity in dealing with unprecedented security challenges”, as reported by NATO in a statement.

Stoltenberg has been NATO Secretary General since 2014 thanks to multiple extensions and had expressed his desire to step down. “When it comes to me, I have made my position clear many, many times. I have nothing more to add. I’m not looking for an extension and that’s what I’ve said many times before“he said last week.

However, it is the White House itself Joe Biden the one that has asked the Norwegian to stay for another year, according to what the British Defense Minister, Ben Wallace, who had applied for the position without success, revealed. “Maybe they want a prime minister,” he said in an interview with The Economist.

“I think the new NATO secretary general is the old NATO general. And that’s good,” Estonian Prime Minister said last week. kaja kallaswho also appeared in the pools of candidates, although with little chance due to his extreme harshness against Russia.

“The debates on the possible candidates revealed too many tensions. It is easier to keep him for another year, he does his job well and is very loyal to the United States,” says a diplomat. quoted by the French newspaper the world.

Two applicants with possibilities had reached the final stretch. On the one hand, the Dutch Prime Minister, mark ruttethat according The Economist He was the favorite of the United States but has rejected the position up to two times.

The other strong candidate was the Danish prime minister, mette frederiksen, who would have been the first woman to lead NATO. But her country is far from meeting the goal of 2% defense spending, which upsets the Eastern partners.