Transatlantic military alliance, NATO decided on Tuesday, July 4 to extend Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s contract by a further year, opting to stick with an experienced leader as war rages on in Ukraine rather than try to agree on a successor.
Stoltenberg, a former
prime minister of Norway, has been the NATO leader since 2014 and his
tenure had already been extended three previous times.
The
decision comes as NATO's 31 members grapple with the challenge of
supporting Ukraine in repelling Moscow’s invasion while avoiding a
direct conflict between NATO and Russian forces.
In a tweet, Stoltenberg, 64, said he was honoured by the decision to extend his term to October 1, 2024.
"The
transatlantic bond between Europe and North America has ensured our
freedom and security for nearly 75 years, and in a more dangerous world,
our Alliance is more important than ever," he said.
His next
tasks include overseeing a transformation of NATO forces to refocus on
defending against any Russian attack, after decades in which the
alliance concentrated on missions beyond its borders, such as in
Afghanistan and the Balkans.
Stoltenberg will also have to
manage differences over how involved NATO should become in Asia, with
the United States pushing for a greater role in countering China, while
others such as France insist NATO must maintain focus on the North
Atlantic area.
