This Tuesday, NATO headquarters in Brussels hosted the changing of the guard ceremony at the supreme command. The Norwegian Jens Stoltenbergwho has led the Atlantic Alliance with aplomb during the last 10 years – a very difficult decade marked by Russia’s war of invasion against Ukraine – has handed over to the Dutchman Mark Rutte the gavel to bring order to the meetings of the Atlantic Alliance.
In his first press appearance as NATO Secretary General, Rutte has promised continuity in the work of his predecessor, in particular in military assistance to the Government of Volodymyr Zelensky. But he has also made efforts to minimize the impact of a possible victory for donald trump in the US elections in November. He maintains that he will be able to work with both Trump and Kamala Harrisand believes that both will continue to support kyiv.
The truth is that in his first term, The Republican candidate threatened to leave NATO, alleging that the rest of the allies abuse the US security umbrella. Last February he even said that he will encourage Russia to do what it wants with allies who do not spend enough on defense. Trump has also questioned whether he will maintain military aid to Ukraine and says he will quickly resolve the war between Moscow and kyiv if he comes to power.
[Las 5 lecciones de Stoltenberg en sus 10 años al frente de la OTAN: “No hay que repetir con China los errores de Rusia”]
The new NATO secretary has asserted that, in his time as Dutch prime minister, he already had the opportunity to deal regularly with Trump for four years, with whom he had a relationship. good working relationship. In his opinion, the Republican candidate must be recognized for his “forward vision”, since thanks to his insistence NATO began to increase defense spending and worry about the security risks posed by China.
“I’m not going to comment on everything that Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris are saying. But generally speaking, my impression and my intuition – based on all the conversations I have had with both sides, including with both candidates – is that both They understand that, in the end, The transatlantic relationship is crucial not only for Europe, but also for its defense and security“Rutte said.
“Because if Russia gets more influence in this part of the world, that would mean a direct security threat to Americafor the United States. And that includes whether Putin gets what he wants in Ukraine. “I am not going to respond to every syllable or word that American politicians say, but this is my general conviction,” the new NATO Secretary General insisted.
Rutte did not want to directly assess Joe Biden’s denial of Ukraine’s request to be able to use long-range missiles provided by the United States to hit targets inside Russia. But he did say that kyiv’s right to self-defense “does not end at the border”. The Dutch politician also does not believe the nuclear rhetoric that Vladimir Putin uses. “We do not see any imminent threat that nuclear weapons will be used” in Ukraine, he assured.
“Supporting Ukraine is the right thing to do and it is also an investment in our own security. Because an independent and democratic Ukraine is vital for peace and stability in Europe. And the cost of supporting Ukraine is much less than what we would have to face if we allow Putin to get his way,” he stressed.
In his first press conference as NATO Secretary General, Rutte used a particularly harsh tone towards China. “Through its support of the Russian military industry, China has become a decisive enabler of Russia’s war in Ukraine. “China cannot continue fueling the biggest conflict in Europe since the Second World War without this affecting its interests and reputation,” he said.
In addition to support for kyiv, the other two major priorities he has mentioned for his mandate are increased defense investment of allies to have all the necessary military capabilities and the creation of new alliances with countries that share the same values as NATO, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
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