Top NATO position should go to consistent defense contributor, Latvia's MFA says
Latvia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs (Photo: Getty Images)
The top NATO position should go to a country that reliably pays for defense, says Latvia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs.
He believes that this position should be held by a person from a country that reliably pays for defense. According to him, Latvia will invest "about 2.4 percent of our GDP into defense this year, and we're heading up to 3 percent in the next three years."
"We sort of put our money where our mouths are. Which is important, I think, for any secretary-general to be able to speak to those members who are not yet doing it," the minister stated.
NATO Secretary-General position
Current NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly stated that he does not wish to remain in the position, but a suitable replacement has yet to be found.
Member countries of the Alliance have discussed various options for Stoltenberg's successor. Among the possible candidates was British Defense Minister Ben Wallace, although his candidacy lacked support from the United States.
There were also rumors about appointing the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez as NATO Secretary-General.
In June, it was reported that Stoltenberg, possibly, would stay in his position for another year.
