US expects NATO to agree on Stoltenberg's successor in coming weeks
Photo: Julianne Smith, US Permanent Representative to NATO (twitter.com/usambnato)
The North Atlantic Alliance may announce the successor to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the next few weeks, according to US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith.
There is now some momentum in the issue of replacing Stoltenberg.
"I am very confident that we will have an announcement to make by the time we get to the summit in July in just a few weeks’ time," Smith says.
Background
Jens Stoltenberg will remain NATO Secretary General until October 1, 2024. By this time, the Alliance will have to decide who will replace him.
Currently, the main candidate for the post is Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Back in early April, it became known that 28 of the 32 member states of the Alliance supported his candidacy. However, a consensus is needed for Rutte to become secretary general.
