This Tuesday, NATO Headquarters in Brussels hosted the changing of the guard ceremony at the Supreme Command. The Norwegian Jens Stoltenbergwho has led the Atlantic Alliance with aplomb over the past ten years – a very difficult decade marked by Russia’s war of invasion against Ukraine – handed Dutchman Mark Rutte the gavel to bring order to Atlantic Alliance meetings.
In his first press appearance as NATO Secretary General, Rutte promised continuity in the work of his predecessor, notably in military assistance to the government of Volodymyr Zelensky. But he also tried to minimize the impact of a possible victory of Donald Trump in the US elections in November. He says he will be able to work with both Trump and Kamala Harrisand believes that both will continue to support Kyiv.
The truth is that during his first term, The Republican candidate threatened to leave NATO, alleging that the rest of the allies were abusing the US security framework. Last February, he even declared that he would encourage Russia to do what it wants with its allies who are not spending enough on defense. Trump also questioned whether he would continue military aid to Ukraine and said he would quickly resolve the war between Moscow and kyiv if he came to power.
[Las 5 lecciones de Stoltenberg en sus 10 años al frente de la OTAN: “No hay que repetir con China los errores de Rusia”]
The new NATO secretary said that when he was Dutch prime minister, he had already had the opportunity to deal regularly for four years with Trump, with whom he maintained relations. good working relationship. According to him, the Republican candidate must be recognized for his “vision for the future”, because thanks to his insistence, NATO has started to increase its defense spending and to worry about the security risks posed by China.
“I’m not going to comment on everything Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris says. But generally speaking, my impression and intuition – based on all the conversations I’ve had with both sides, including with both candidates – is that both understand that ultimately, The transatlantic relationship is crucial not only for Europe, but also for its defense and security.“Rutte said.
“Because if Russia gains more influence in this part of the world, it would mean a direct threat to America’s securityfor the United States. And that involves whether Putin will get what he wants in Ukraine. “I am not going to respond to every syllable or word of what American politicians say, but that is my general conviction,” insisted the new NATO secretary general.
Rutte did not want to directly assess Joe Biden’s refusal to respond to Ukraine’s request to be able to use long-range missiles supplied by the United States to hit targets in Russia. But he said that kyiv’s right to self-defense ‘does not stop at the border’. The Dutch politician also does not believe in the nuclear rhetoric used by Vladimir Putin. “We do not see any imminent threat of the use of nuclear weapons” in Ukraine, he assured.
New NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during his first press conference at headquarters in Brussels
“Supporting Ukraine is the right thing to do and it is also an investment in our own security. Because an independent and democratic Ukraine is vital for peace and stability in Europe. And the cost of supporting Ukraine is much lower than what we would face if we allowed Putin to get what he wanted,” he stressed.
In his first press conference as NATO secretary general, Rutte used a particularly harsh tone towards China. “Through its support of the Russian military industry, China has become a decisive catalyst for Russia’s war in Ukraine. “China cannot continue to fuel the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II without it affecting its interests and reputation,” he said.
In addition to supporting kyiv, the two other main priorities he mentioned for his mandate are increased investment in defense allies to have all the necessary military capabilities and the creation of new alliances with countries sharing the same values as NATO, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
