BRUSSELS — Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary normal, lastly gave in. Having beforehand introduced that he would depart the job this September, he reversed himself on Tuesday and stated that he had agreed to increase his mandate one other yr, till October 2024.
In a Twitter message, Mr. Stoltenberg confirmed what had come to appear inevitable, saying: “Honoured by #NATO Allies’ determination to increase my time period as Secretary Basic till 1 October 2024.”
His reappointment takes a contentious situation off the agenda of NATO’s yearly summit assembly, scheduled for subsequent week in Vilnius, Lithuania. The assembly is designed to point out trans-Atlantic unity and solidarity in help for Ukraine because it battles Russia’s invasion.
The Biden administration has been unenthusiastic about different candidates for the job whereas the battle in Ukraine nonetheless rages, and France and different members of the European Union had made it clear that they’d not settle for a non-E.U. determine within the position, such because the British protection secretary, Ben Wallace.
The prime minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, went to Washington final month to satisfy with President Biden and American officers, however she later stated that she was now not a candidate to be NATO secretary normal and would again Mr. Stoltenberg if he was keen to increase his tenure.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, who has lengthy known as for his nation’s entry into NATO, stated in a Telegram publish that he had congratulated Mr. Stoltenberg on his determination. In a telephone name, Mr. Zelensky stated, he had additionally thanked Mr. Stoltenberg for his help. The 2 males, he added, “coordinated our positions” earlier than the summit subsequent week.
Mr. Stoltenberg, 64, a former Norwegian prime minister, has served within the job since 2014 and has had his mandate prolonged 3 times. He has earned the belief of allies, notably Washington, by means of his calm demeanor, his public humility and his capacity to navigate the calls for of what are actually 31 member states in a corporation that runs by consensus.
He was notably praised for his capacity to work with former President Donald J. Trump, whose contempt for NATO was typically on show.
Mr. Stoltenberg is now anticipated to preside over his final summit in Washington subsequent yr, which will even mark NATO’s seventy fifth anniversary. That’s, until he’s requested to increase his mandate as soon as once more.
