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THANK YOU: Jens Stoltenberg is confident that NATO will find a good successor to his job as Secretary General of NATO. Photo: Jonas Ekstromer, AP, NTB
In recent days, some media have speculated whether Jens Stoltenberg may have to postpone his departure as NATO chief once again.
– It is not appropriate to extend the period, says Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg to NTB.
He is now in his tenth year as NATO Secretary General, and the original term has been extended several times.
– I am confident that Nato will find a good successor after me, he says.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has emerged as the leading candidate to take over from Stoltenberg. He has the support of the United States and Great Britain, as well as a number of other countries.
Possible Rutte skepticism
Turkey and Hungary, on the other hand, have expressed that they do not want Rutte. NATO sources NTB has spoken to, however, believe that the two countries are trying to use Rutte’s opposition as a bargaining chip.
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Stoltenberg also says that it has been a privilege to be allowed to unload Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership. On Monday, the Swedish flag was raised for the first time in front of NATO headquarters in Brussels.
– As a Norwegian, it is extra nice to be the one who gets to welcome two neighboring countries. It has been a pleasure to work closely with them in this process, he says.
It is expensive to secure the peace
The defense budgets of NATO countries have increased significantly in the years with Stoltenberg at the helm. He says the alliance has undergone its biggest boost in many decades, but that means state leaders have to cut back on other important budget items.
– If we do not succeed in securing peace, we will not succeed in climate or work or social equalization or anything else either, says Stoltenberg.
This is a consequence of the fact that we live with Russia as a neighbour, a country that is willing to use military force, break international law and invade neighboring countries, according to the NATO leader.
– Unfortunately, it is expensive to live in a more dangerous world. But it is even more expensive not to invest in defence, because it increases the risk of conflict.
Guns, not white flags
Stoltenberg also emphasizes that Ukraine needs more support – not white flags and negotiations, as Pope Francis recently suggested. There is no indication that Russia intends to negotiate and accept Ukraine as a sovereign state, according to NATO’s secretary general.
– If Ukraine stops fighting, then there will be no peace, there will be occupation, says Stoltenberg.
While Russia is satisfied with the pope’s statements, they have been sharply criticized by Ukraine and several EU countries. The Vatican’s envoy to Ukraine has been called into the carpet.
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