NATO has chosen a new secretary general amid major political shifts in the alliance's core countries. The new secretary general, Mark Rutte, is largely expected to be a key person in NATO-U.S. relations if Trump wins the presidency. Find out what Rutte is known for and what his views are, including on the war in Ukraine

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Mark Rutte, the current Prime Minister of the Netherlands, has been elected as the new NATO Secretary General. He will succeed Jens Stoltenberg in this position. We talk about Rutte's political career and his views on the war in Ukraine.

Rutte will take up his duties as secretary general on 1 October 2024, when the term of the current secretary general, who has been in office for ten years, expires.

As you know, the term of office of the NATO Secretary General is four years, after which he may be reappointed.

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Mark Rutte: career, attitude to Ukraine and political views

Rutte began his political career a long time ago. In 2006, he became the leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy. The official also headed the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy faction in the second chamber of the General States.

The politician is the longest serving prime minister in the modern history of the Netherlands. He first became the head of government in 2010 and in August 2022 exceeded the term of the previous "record holder", Ruud Lubbers, who was prime minister from late 1982 to late summer 1994.

According to The Guardian, the Dutch politician takes office at a difficult time for the alliance, while "Ukraine faces relentless russian bombardment in its eastern regions and alliance sceptic Donald Trump is vying for another term in the White House".

The publication notes that Rutte is a strong supporter of Ukraine and has quickly gained the support of key countries in the military-political bloc, including the United States, Britain, France and Germany.

At the same time, Politico notes that an important asset of Rutte's is that he has a good relationship with Trump and is able to reach an agreement with both Democrats and Republicans. Observers recalled how Rutte once received praise from Trump, who said: "I like this guy!". So all this, according to analysts, should benefit Ukraine.

What are the functions of the NATO Secretary General?

The Secretary General of the defence alliance has several key functions:

- The NATO Secretary General is the organisation's top administrative officer and represents the organisation on the international stage. He also chairs meetings of the North Atlantic Council, the Alliance's main political body.

- He coordinates joint actions and policies among member states, ensuring that they work together to achieve NATO's common goals.

- The Secretary General often acts as a mediator between member states when disputes and disagreements arise. He also negotiates with other international actors on behalf of the Alliance.

- The Secretary General advises NATO Allies on strategic issues and helps formulate the Alliance's long-term strategies and priorities.

- The Secretary General advises NATO members on strategic issues and helps to formulate the Alliance's long-term strategies and priorities.

In other words, Rutte is becoming a central figure in ensuring stability and unity within NATO and maintaining the effective functioning of the organisation at the international level, including in supporting Ukraine.

It is worth recalling that the Dutch prime minister was one of the first Western leaders to agree to the transfer of American F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. The country has pledged to provide Kyiv with more than two dozen combat aircraft.

We remind you! Western countries are increasingly taking a more decisive approach to the issue of their military's activities directly on the territory of Ukraine. Some NATO members want to shield the western part of Ukraine from russian missiles. Read here to find out what discussions are taking place within the Alliance and who is ready to take a significant step forward in helping Ukraine.

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