Nato leaders will on Thursday discuss extending secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg’s term beyond his planned departure this summer, as allies fret over the potential ramifications of changing leadership during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, APA reports quoting Financial Times.
Multiple officials from the US-led alliance told the Financial Times they saw growing support for extending Stoltenberg’s term, which he is due to complete at the end of September. He was expected to start a term as the governor of the Norwegian central bank in December.
Nato leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday. The US supports extending Stoltenberg’s term, a US official said. A White House official said it was “a decision for the alliance”.
Jake Sullivan, US national security adviser, said on Wednesday: “We think that Jens Stoltenberg has been doing a fantastic job — and day in, day out has played a critical leadership role for Nato.
“Stoltenberg is a real asset to the alliance,” Sullivan added.
The discussions come as Nato faces its most serious security threat since the cold war after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February. Some officials and politicians said it was a risky time for the alliance to change its leadership given the gravity of the current crisis.
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