Mark Rutte lined up to be NATO secretary general after Hungary deal
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After successfully gaining the support of Hungary's prime minister, Mark Rutte is poised to become the next NATO secretary general.
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Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte addresses the media at the end of an EU summit in Brussels, on June 18, 2024. (AP)
The outgoing Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, is expected to be the next NATO chief after winning over Hungary's prime minister by vowing not to deploy Budapest’s forces or spend its money supporting Ukraine.
Viktor Orban, the NATO leader considered closest to Russia, announced that he had dropped his objections after talks with Rutte. This prompted the current Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to declare that the selection process would conclude "very soon."
On Tuesday afternoon, Orban wrote on X that "Hungary is ready to support PM Rutte’s bid for Nato secretary-general" and published a letter of reassurance he had received from the Dutch politician earlier that day.
Following the recent European elections, where Hungarians voted in huge numbers in favour of #peace, we reached an important agreement with #NATO Secretary General @jensstoltenberg . We agreed that no Hungarian personnel will take part in the activities of NATO in Ukraine and no… pic.twitter.com/Cliu4rZGCE
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) June 18, 2024
Rutte wrote to Orban, "I am aware of the outcome of talks between Jens Stoltenberg [the current secretary-general] and you regarding NATO’s support for Ukraine. It is my understanding that you stressed that no Hungarian personnel would take part in these activities and no Hungarian funds would be used to support them."
The 57-year-old Dutch leader also stated that he would honor the commitment made to Hungary, saying, "In a possible future capacity as Nato secretary general, I will fully support this outcome of the talks” and added, “I look forward to our future engagement – whatever that might be."
Slovakia supports Rutte
Slovakia, another NATO member whose government is perceived as sympathetic to Russia, also announced Tuesday its willingness to support Rutte. Peter Pellegrini, the country's prime minister, stated. "The Slovak republic can imagine supporting the Dutch prime minister."
NATO secretary generals are chosen by consensus among the 32 members of the alliance. With Hungary and Slovakia declaring their support for Rutte, only Romania remains as the final holdout. The country's president, Klaus Iohannis, initially a rival candidate, has garnered no support and is expected by alliance members to withdraw soon.
Next month, NATO will convene its annual summit in Washington, DC, against the backdrop of Ukraine seeking additional assistance amidst the ongoing war. Rutte is anticipated to assume leadership of the alliance following the summit, where discussions will focus on ensuring sustained military support for Ukraine in the long term.
In addition to exploring ways to assist Ukraine without it becoming a full NATO member, Rutte may also need to navigate interactions with Donald Trump, the Republican challenger to Joe Biden for the US presidency. Trump has frequently expressed skepticism regarding the alliance's value and has even suggested the possibility of withdrawing, citing concerns about defense spending levels among other member states.
