After UK’s Defense Minister Ben Wallace was discarded as the next leader of NATO, current Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg, as expected, was handed another 12 months in charge.
But it is now believed that US President Biden has set his ailing mind on the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to occupy this important job.
Daily Mail reported:
“European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is Joe Biden’s preferred candidate to lead Nato after Ben Wallace’s bid was blocked, it was reported.
[…] A Nato source told the Telegraph that Mr. Biden was attempting to convince Mrs. von der Leyen, a former German defence minister, to succeed Mr. Stoltenberg.
Another source said Mr. Biden and Mrs. von der Leyen have built ‘a strong bond’ in recent years, fostering close transatlantic ties over China, Ukraine and the climate.
Ms. von der Leyen visited the White House in March, when the US and the EU announced the beginning of negotiations of a critical minerals agreement.”
Former Norwegian prime minister, Stoltenberg said he was ‘honored’ by the decision and ‘in a more dangerous world, our alliance is more important than ever’.
The National reported:
“A fluent French and English speaker, the German politician also has the support of French President Emmanuel Macron who is keen to have a strong EU presence inside the alliance.
The previous two Nato leaders have come from countries – Norway and Denmark – that are not as committed to the EU project as others.
‘There is in the United States a strong support for Ursula von der Leyen’, said the Nato insider. ‘She has a very close relationship with the Americans and they’ve been working closely together on China, on data and greening the economy. The Americans like her’.”
Ms. von der Leyen can’t leave her post before 2024, so Washington persuaded Mr. Stoltenberg, to stay for another year.
“’The French in particular, who have got a lot of support from the other EU countries, want this’, the Nato source said. ‘As a result of Ukraine, the Europeans are spending a lot of money on ammunition and kit and the EU and Nato are working closer together so they are saying we want a Secretary General who represents the EU in Nato’.”
NATO’s Secretary General is usually chosen by consensus between the members. Ms von der Leyen has been praised for her work at the EC presidency, but has been criticized for her previous years as Germany’s defense minister.
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