By Burak Bir
LONDON (AA) – NATO allies have selected outgoing Dutch premier Mark Rutte as the military alliance’s next secretary general, according to an official statement released on Wednesday.
"On Wednesday (26 June 2024), the North Atlantic Council decided to appoint Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the next Secretary General of NATO, succeeding Jens Stoltenberg," NATO said in the statement.
Rutte will take over as secretary general on Oct. 1, when Stoltenberg's term expires following 10 years at the helm of the alliance.
NATO's outgoing chief Stoltenberg welcomed the appointment and wished him success.
"Mark is a true transatlanticist, a strong leader and a consensus-builder," Stoltenberg wrote on X.