NATO members have tentative settlement to increase Secretary-General Stoltenberg’s tenure one other 12 months

WASHINGTON — NATO members have reached a tentative settlement to ask Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to stay head of the 31-member transatlantic alliance for an additional 12 months, in keeping with a U.S. official aware of the choice.

The official, who was not approved to remark publicly and spoke on situation of anonymity, mentioned the choice nonetheless must be finalized by alliance members. The much-anticipated choice to formally ask Stoltenberg to increase his tenure for an additional 12 months is predicted to occur comparatively quickly, the official mentioned.

NATO members are scheduled to carry their annual summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11-12. President Joe Biden conveyed to Stoltenberg throughout their latest assembly on the White House that it was evident there wasn’t going to be consensus within the close to time period amongst NATO allies on choosing a brand new everlasting chief, the official mentioned.

Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister, has been NATO’s high civilian official since 2014. His time period was as a result of expire final 12 months however was prolonged for a second time to maintain a gradual hand on the helm after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who’s main a delegation to Vilnius subsequent month, mentioned in an interview Thursday that it was her expectation that Stoltenberg’s time period can be prolonged and known as it “very good news for NATO and for the allies.”

“I think Stoltenberg has proved to be critical as the challenges to NATO have unfolded over the last couple of years,” Shaheen mentioned. “He’s been very adept at working with all the NATO countries and I think any time we’re in the middle of a crisis – as we are now with what’s happening in the war in Ukraine – being able to maintain that kind of stability and leadership that he’s provided is really critical.”

Biden made it clear to Stoltenberg that he would welcome him sticking round longer – significantly for ever and ever to the conflict in Ukraine and with the problem of getting Sweden authorised as a member of the alliance. NATO leaders largely agreed with Biden that sustaining “continuity” at this delicate second for the alliance is crucial, the official mentioned.

Douglas Lute, who served as U.S. ambassador to NATO underneath President Barack Obama, mentioned extending Stoltenberg’s tenure provides NATO the trail of least resistance.

“What the alliance does not need right now is a lack of solidarity over who to succeed him,” Lute mentioned. “The simplest thing is for him to be extended.”

Biden had spoken extremely of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. NATO is eager to call a girl to the highest submit, and Denmark’s prime minister was regarded as a favourite after a gathering with Biden earlier this month, however she has publicly mentioned that she was not looking for the job. British Prime Rishi Sunak additionally lobbied Biden on behalf of British Defense Minister Ben Wallace.

Frederiksen confronted stiff headwinds. Poland opposes the subsequent secretary-general coming from a Nordic state after Stoltenberg’s lengthy tenure, in keeping with the U.S. official.

Stoltenberg’s predecessor, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, is from Denmark. Polish officers are pushing for the subsequent secretary-general to return from a Baltic state, in keeping with the U.S. official. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has emerged as their most well-liked candidate.

Some members are additionally insistent that the subsequent secretary-general be a former head of state, which made the trail tough for Wallace, the U.S. official mentioned.

_____