NATO has appointed outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the next head of the western security alliance, bringing a change in leadership for the first time in a decade.
Ambassadors representing the 32 alliance members agreed to select Rutte as the replacement for NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who is stepping down on Oct. 1 at the end of his term following a decade in the position.
Rutte, who has years of experience leading diverse coalitions and managing foreign policy as the prime minister of the Netherlands, said on Wednesday it was a “tremendous honor” to be appointed as the next NATO chief.
“The alliance is and will remain the cornerstone of our collective security. Leading this organisation is a responsibility I do not take lightly. I’m grateful to all the Allies for placing their trust in me,” he wrote on social media platform X.
Stoltenberg also welcomed his replacement in a post on X. “Mark is a true transatlanticist, a strong leader and a consensus-builder. I wish him every success as we continue to strengthen NATO.”
NATO is hosting an upcoming summit in Washington from July 9 to 11, which will be Stoltenberg’s last and will serve as a introduction for Rutte.
Rutte will assume the leadership at a perilous time for NATO, as war rages in Ukraine and the alliance seeks to increase defense spending among its member nations, many of whom have historically failed to meet a certain spending threshold as they relied on the U.S. for security.
He may also have to navigate a more complex relationship with former President Trump, who has adopted a more harsh tone on the alliance, including comments this year that suggested he would not defend nations that don’t pay enough in defense spending.