NATO Extends Secretary-General Stoltenberg's Mandate for Another Year
Today, NATO members have agreed to extend the mandate of Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg for another year. This decision was announced on the Alliance's website.
The approval of this decision will take place at the NATO Summit in Vilnius, where heads of state and government will gather.
Jens Stoltenberg himself confirmed this information on Twitter.
Thus, his tenure at the helm of the Alliance has been extended until October 1, 2024.
He expressed his pride that NATO members have decided to extend his term as Secretary-General, emphasizing the importance of the transatlantic bond between Europe and North America in ensuring freedom and security for almost 75 years, particularly in today's more dangerous world.
None of Stoltenberg's potential opponents managed to garner the support of 31 NATO member countries. Possible contenders included Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
Alliance members thanked the Secretary-General for his leadership and dedication, which have been critically important in maintaining transatlantic unity in the face of unprecedented security challenges.
Former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, 64, was originally set to conclude his term as NATO Secretary-General at the end of September 2023.
Earlier this year, he stated that he would not seek an extension. However, NATO members requested that he reconsider after they were unable to reach a consensus on a successor.
Jens Stoltenberg has been leading the military-political bloc since 2014.
Previously, Stoltenberg stated that Ukraine would not be invited to join the Alliance at the July NATO Summit in Vilnius. According to him, the issuance of an official invitation is not under discussion at the summit or during its preparation.
Stoltenberg also warned against hasty peace negotiations between Ukraine and the aggressor country, Russia. He emphasized that a lasting peace must be a just peace, adding that "peace cannot mean freezing the conflict and accepting an agreement dictated by Russia."