Mark Rutte: NATO appoints the Dutch Prime Minister as the new head of the alliance as global challenges to the alliance mount

CNN
—

Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has been formally selected as the new Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the military alliance announced on Wednesday, coming at a pivotal time as it seeks to bolster its security while also supporting Ukraine in its grinding war against Russia.

His appointment comes after Romanian President Klaus Iohannis – his only rival for the post – announced last week that he was withdrawing from the race.

“It is a great honor to be appointed Secretary General of NATO,” Rutte said in a speech at a ceremony held in Brussels. “The Alliance is and will remain the cornerstone of our collective security.” Share on X Wednesday.

The 57-year-old Dutch leader said he was grateful to NATO allies for placing their trust in him. “Leading this organization is a responsibility I do not take lightly,” he said.

Rutte is scheduled to start his new position on October 1 when current NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s 10-year term ends, according to a statement issued by the alliance.

Stoltenberg said Wednesday he “warmly welcomes” the appointment of his successor.

“Mark is a true transatlantic advocate, a strong leader and a consensus builder. I wish him every success as we continue to strengthen NATO.”

The Secretary General is the highest-ranking international civil servant in the Alliance. The person holding this position chairs all the main committees of the Alliance, is its main spokesman and the head of the organisation’s international staff.

Rutte will inherit a NATO that is racing to bolster its security while also supporting Ukraine’s defense against a Russian invasion. The coalition is walking a tightrope to rearm and increase military spending while avoiding provoking Moscow and escalating the bloodiest war on European soil in decades.

This story has been updated.