On 22 February, several major NATO allies made it clear that they have found a candidate who can take over as Secretary General after Stoltenberg. The man is Dutch acting Prime Minister Mark Rutte. France, Great Britain, Germany and the United States agreed. With the biggest countries in place, it could all seem settled. SUPPORTING PLAYER: Emmanuel Macron has agreed to Mark Rutte. Photo: AFP Several obstacles stand in Rutte’s way, however. The combination of them can make it so difficult that the NATO countries have to look around for another candidate, according to sources in NATO news has spoken to. Orban’s protest A postponement seems necessary in any case: While the hope was to appoint a new general secretary in April, June is now described as the earliest possibility. AGREEMENT DUO: Viktor Orban and Donald Trump Photo: AFP Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is the one obstacle. His foreign minister Peter Szijjarto made it clear earlier this week: the Dutch Mark Rutte is not wanted by Hungary. Rutte and Orban have been in conflict in the past, particularly in the context of the EU. When Hungary wanted to introduce what was described as an anti-LBGT law, Rutte stated that he would “bring Hungary to its knees”. That Hungary trains such processes is nothing new. Experience shows, however, that Hungary often ends up joining according to the will of the majority, as the process surrounding Sweden’s NATO membership shows. That hope also applies to Turkey, which is also not sure whether they will support Rutte’s candidacy. IN KHARKIV: Mark Rutte and Volodymyr Zelenskyj in Ukraine on 1 March this year. Photo: AP According to news’s experience, the concern from the NATO team is rather related to these points: The combination of Turkish and Hungarian resistance. Strong forces around former US President Donald Trump. That the Netherlands has so far not reached the NATO goal of spending at least 2 percent of gross national product on defense. In Florida with Trump Today Trump welcomes Prime Minister Orban to Mar-A-Lago in Florida, where the two will hold talks. Orban has been clear in his support for Trump in the presidential election campaign. He has claimed that a new Trump victory is a prerequisite for peace in Europe. It is expected that the talks will focus on Ukraine. As an extension of that, the question of a new Secretary General of NATO may arise. Trump’s supporter and former Berlin ambassador Richard Grenell has started an active campaign against Mark Rutte’s candidacy. In a message on X at the end of February, Grenell wrote that “all Americans” must come together in opposition to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte becoming Secretary General of NATO. GREAT AGAIN: Trump supporter Richard Grenell believes all Americans must come together in opposition to Mark Rutte as NATO chief. Photo: AP “The mere thought that Rutte will be rewarded with a top job in NATO will be a slap in the face to American taxpayers,” Grenell wrote, referring to the Netherlands’ defense budget. Trump’s threats Europeans’ inability to spend enough money to defend themselves has been Trump’s main objection to NATO. The dissatisfaction prompted Trump to threaten to withdraw from the alliance when he was president. During an election campaign event earlier this winter, he caused severe unrest among NATO allies by casting doubt on his support for the alliance’s Article 5. The principle that an attack on one NATO country is considered an attack on all is fundamental to the alliance. But Trump made it clear that he will not defend a country that has not spent enough money on its own defense. He would rather encourage Russia to do “what the hell they want” with such countries. Trump supporter Grenell demands that the appointment of a new secretary-general be postponed until after the presidential election in the United States. In that case, it could mean that Jens Stoltenberg could be asked to take another round, six years after his first mandate had ended. – Dangerous to wait In itself such a demand from the circle around Trump does not necessarily have any effect. It may even be counterproductive, says a centrally located diplomatic source to news: – The vast majority of NATO countries will think it is dangerous to wait until after the election. They want a new general secretary in place as soon as possible. If Donald Trump himself decides to run some kind of campaign against Rutte, the calculation may still change. Do you want to risk appointing a secretary-general who is already the target of Trump’s anger in a situation where the former president’s support for NATO seems very fragile? – The fear is that Rutte’s candidacy will now be politicized in the USA, says a NATO source. The challenge from the east of the Netherlands is working to reach the much-discussed 2 percent target already this year. It will be able to take the sting out of some of the criticism that has been leveled against Rutte’s candidacy, also from the countries in the east of the alliance, which have put forward their own candidates. GOING AGAIN: The name of Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has come up again in NATO speculation. Photo: LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has often been mentioned. Recently, Romania’s outgoing president Klaus Iohannis has also been launched. It is at the last minute, as time is running out if you are to have a candidate in place before the summer. According to news’s experience, considerable irritation is felt in some of the larger member states that Romania is throwing in a candidate from its own country so late in the process, when much seems settled. It is nevertheless difficult to ignore the argument from Eastern European countries that it must soon be their turn to lead the alliance.
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The appointment of Stoltenberg’s successor may be postponed – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
