NATO’s Stoltenberg to remain leader for another year – National | 24CA News
NATO on Tuesday prolonged Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s contract by one other 12 months, opting to stay with an skilled chief as battle rages on the alliance’s doorstep reasonably than attempt to agree on a successor.
Stoltenberg, a former prime minister of Norway, has been the transatlantic safety alliance’s chief since 2014 and his tenure has already been prolonged three different occasions.
The resolution means continuity on the prime of NATO as its 31 members grapple with the problem of supporting Ukraine in repelling Moscow’s invasion whereas avoiding a direct battle between NATO and Russian forces.
Stoltenberg, 64, is extensively seen throughout the alliance as a gradual chief and affected person consensus-builder. The resolution to increase his tenure to Oct. 1, 2024, comes forward of a summit of NATO leaders in Vilnius, Lithuania, subsequent week.
Stoltenberg stated he was honored by the choice.
“The transatlantic bond 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,” he stated.
U.S. President Joe Biden and leaders of different NATO nations additionally hailed the choice.
“With his steady leadership, experience, and judgment, Secretary General Stoltenberg has brought our Alliance through the most significant challenges in European security since World War II,” Biden stated in a press release.
A White House assertion stated Biden spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday to evaluate preparations for the Vilnius summit.
“They discussed a range of issues that leaders will consider at the Summit, including ways to further strengthen the Alliance,” the assertion stated.
Diplomats and analysts give Stoltenberg excessive marks for holding NATO collectively over Ukraine, putting a steadiness between these demanding most assist for Kyiv and others urging extra warning out of concern of sparking a world battle.
Ukraine and the Vilnius Summit
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy provided his congratulations to Stoltenberg in a phone name and stated he would “look forward to continuing our fruitful cooperation.”
Zelenskiy on Telegram stated he and Stoltenberg “coordinated our positions” forward of the Vilnius summit, the place Ukraine desires a sign that it will possibly safe NATO membership.
“Now is the time for powerful decisions and concrete steps in this direction,” he stated.
Zelenskiy’s international minister, Dmytro Kuleba, welcomed Stoltenberg’s extension and his “robust management.
Stoltenberg additionally received widespread reward for guiding the alliance by means of extreme transatlantic turbulence through the U.S. presidency of Donald Trump, who overtly speculated about taking the United States out of NATO.
But the choice to stay with Stoltenberg additionally mirrored a failure to achieve consensus on a successor after he declared in February that he was not in search of an additional extension.
“NATO member states have decided logically enough that the best secretary general currently on the marketplace is the one they already have. Experience matters especially at one of the most testing times in NATO’s history,” stated Jamie Shea, a former senior NATO official now with the Chatham House think-tank.
Among these thought-about as potential successors to Stoltenberg have been British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
But neither they nor others floated by diplomats appeared to have the assist of all NATO members because the Vilnius summit approached. With leaders eager to keep away from wrangling there over a brand new secretary normal, they turned again to Stoltenberg.
His subsequent duties embrace overseeing a transformation of NATO forces to refocus on defending towards any Russian assault, after many years during which NATO focused on missions past its borders, similar to in Afghanistan and the Balkans.
He can even should handle variations over how concerned NATO ought to grow to be in Asia, with the United States pushing for a larger position in countering China, whereas others similar to France insist NATO should preserve concentrate on the North Atlantic space.
Shea stated NATO now wants to think about succession planning and determine somebody who will replicate its future picture and path, and builds on partnerships with different organizations such because the European Union.
—Reporting by Andrew Gray; Editing by Marine Strauss, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Peter Graff, Alex Richardson, Ron Popeski and Mark Porter
