NATO extends Stoltenberg mandate for one more year

NATO’s 31 member states decided to prolong the mandate of Jens Stoltenberg as its General Secretary with one year until 1 October 2024. He has led the organisation for ten years. 

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrives for an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, June 29, 2023. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will stay in office for another year, the 31-nation military alliance decided on Tuesday. Stoltenberg said in a tweet that he is "honoured by NATO Allies' decision to extend my term as Secretary General until 1 October 2024." © AP - Virginia Mayo

Stoltenberg was appointed NATO General Secretary shortly after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.

In 2022, the alliance, under his leadership, faced the biggest European conflict since World War II, giving it an “electric shock” after it had been, in the words of French President Emmanuel Macron, “braindead.” 

During Stoltenberg’s leadership, Finland joined the alliance, and Sweden may join if reservations by NATO-members Hungary and Turkey are overcome. 

A view of a British Warrior infantry fighting vehicle during Northern Forest land force exercise in Rovajarvi, Finland May 30, 2023. REUTERS - JANIS LAIZANS

Allies praise him for his cool-headedness during crises. "Because of his strong and steady hand, our alliance is stronger and is more unified than it's ever been," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken saidrecently. 

Youngest Premier

In 2000, Stoltenberg, a member of the Norwegian Labour Party, became at 41 the youngest prime minister in Norway's history, a mandate he fulfilled twice over a period of nine years.  

In 2014, then US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel backed him for the position of NATO General Secretary. 

In 2019, when then US President Donald Trump wanted to pull the US out of NATO, Stoltenberg convinced him to stay on. "He kept Trump in NATO, which was far from certain," according to Jamie Shea, a former NATO official.

Ukraine

Stoltenberg is now trying to hammer out a consensus between NATO members on the issue of support for Ukraine and on the possible Ukrainian membership when the war is over. Members on NATO’s eastern flank, such as Poland, want to increase the support to Ukraine, but Germany, France and the U.S are still reluctant. 

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a tweet that the extension of Stoltenberg’s mandate was “excellent news,” praising the Secretary General’s “strong leadership”. 

Excellent news on the extension of @JensStoltenberg's mandate as NATO Secretary General. Tough times demand strong leadership. Jens Stoltenberg has demonstrated just that. I look forward to furthering our cooperation.

— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) July 4, 2023

And according to US President Joe Biden, "with his steady leadership, experience, and judgement, (..)  Stoltenberg has brought our Alliance through the most significant challenges in European security since World War II."

(With newswires)