New NATO chief wants to speed up Ukraine’s entry into the alliance

Dutchman Mark Rutte was made official this Tuesday (1st) as the new secretary general of NATO, after succeeding Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg at a meeting of the North Atlantic Council.

The transfer came after Stoltenberg gave Rutte a Viking hammer that Iceland donated to NATO and is used for special meetings within the Alliance. Stoltenberg then handed over the presidency of the North Atlantic Council, NATO’s highest decision-making body, to Rutte, now the Alliance’s secretary general.

The Dutchman stated that it is a great honor to take on the role and thanked all the countries of the transatlantic organization for trusting him as responsible for “guiding the group in the coming years”.

“It’s an excellent job and the goal is very high. Jens, you were an exemplary secretary general”, he commented, stressing that his priorities include keeping NATO “strong” and ensuring that its defenses remain “effective and reliable”.

“To do this, we need more forces, with better capabilities and faster innovation. This requires more investment, because to do more we have to spend more. There is no free alternative if we want to rise to the challenges and maintain our population of billions safe people”, highlighted Rutte.

Furthermore, the Dutchman included among his priorities increasing support for Ukraine and bringing the country closer to NATO. “There can be no lasting security in Europe without a strong and independent Ukraine”, he highlighted, ensuring that the Alliance must comply with Ukraine’s “irreversible path” towards its membership in the transatlantic organization.