New NATO chief makes support for Ukraine a top priority, says he will work with any US president
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New NATO chief makes support for Ukraine a top priority, says he will work with any US president

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Lorne Cook
| Associated Press

Brussels – The new NATO chief pledged Tuesday to help shore up Western support for war-ravaged Ukraine and expressed confidence he can work with whoever is elected U.S. president, the most powerful member of the alliance, in November.

“There can be no lasting security in Europe without a strong and independent Ukraine,” new NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in his first speech taking office, and reaffirmed the commitment taken by the leaders of the organization in 2008 that “Ukraine’s rightful place” is in NATO.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces are advancing in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian army has a fragile hold on part of Russia’s Kursk region, which has temporarily boosted its morale, but as losses mount it remains under-equipped in men and weapons.

“The cost of supporting Ukraine is much lower than what we would face if we let Putin do what he wanted,” Rutte told reporters, hours after his predecessor, Jens Stoltenberg, handed him the reins, accompanied by a Viking hammer. with whom to chair future meetings.

But Ukraine’s membership in NATO remains a distant prospect. Several member countries, including the United States and Germany, believe Ukraine should not join the group while it is fighting a war. Rutte refused to speculate on what needs to happen before he can be included in NATO ranks.

Rutte highlighted China, and in particular Beijing’s support for Putin. “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 impacting its interests and reputation,” he said.

NATO’s new top civilian official also stressed the importance of maintaining strong transatlantic ties between the United States, Canada and Europe, just months before the American elections.

Polls suggest the election will be close. That could see the return of Donald Trump, whose bluster during his last term about low defense spending by European allies and Canada undermined the confidence of NATO member countries.

It became an existential challenge as smaller members feared the United States under Trump would renege on NATO’s security commitment that all countries must come to the aid of any ally in difficulty, the cornerstone on which the alliance is built.

But Rutte said: “I know both candidates very well. » He praised Trump for pushing NATO allies to spend more and for toughening their approach to China. He also praised Vice President Kamala Harris’ “fantastic record” and described her as “a highly respected leader.”

“I will be able to work with both. Whatever the outcome of the elections,” Rutte said. When asked about Trump’s commitment to other allies, he flip-flopped, saying only that both candidates “understand that ultimately the transatlantic relationship is crucial, not just for ‘Europe’.

Asked whether the Netherlands, which has just reached the NATO spending level of 2% of gross domestic product for its defense budget, has set a good example for other allies, Rutte shook his head and replied, “No. We should have done this sooner.

Outgoing US President Joe Biden said in a statement that the United States remained “deeply committed” to the alliance, and expressed confidence that Rutte would “continue to build on our work to create a more NATO strong, bigger and more resolute than ever.” its mission is to create a safer world for our people.

Earlier, Stoltenberg welcomed Rutte to NATO headquarters in Brussels for the leadership change.

The two men, who first sat at the NATO table 14 years ago as leaders of Norway and the Netherlands, greeted each other warmly before laying a wreath on the fallen soldiers. fight, surrounded by the flags of the 32 member countries.

“Mark has the perfect background to become a great secretary general,” a visibly emotional Stoltenberg said at the end of a decade in power.

“He was prime minister for 14 years and led four different coalition governments, so he knows how to compromise, build consensus, and those are skills that are highly valued here at NATO,” Stoltenberg said.

Rutte said he “can’t wait to get to work.” Among his other priorities, he said, are increasing defense spending and strengthening the partnerships the alliance has established with other countries around the world, particularly in Asia and the Middle East.

After hundreds of NATO staff applauded the two men as they walked toward the large hall where North Atlantic Council meetings at the ambassadorial, ministerial or leader level are held, Stoltenberg helped his successor get started by giving him a Viking hammer to use. when presiding over meetings.

Stoltenberg, NATO’s 13th secretary general, took over in 2014, the year Russia’s “little green men” infiltrated Ukraine. Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula, triggering a surge in defense spending in the world’s largest security alliance that accelerated during his tenure.

His tenure was surpassed only by Dutch diplomat Joseph Luns, who spent 12 years as head of NATO.

NATO’s secretaries general lead the headquarters, direct the alliance’s work program and speak with one voice on behalf of the 32-nation organization. Continuity is generally the key word when they take office.

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