An undisclosed source within NATO circles claims that US President Joe Biden has put forth the name of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as a potential candidate for the position of NATO Secretary General after Jens Stoltenberg, the Telegraph reports.
On July 4, Jens Stoltenberg, the current NATO Secretary General, announced that he would extend his tenure until October 1, 2024. Stoltenberg, aged 64, has been serving in the role since October 2014. Originally, his mandate was expected to conclude in the autumn, but due to disagreements among NATO members amid the conflict in Ukraine, they requested Stoltenberg to continue in his position.
While von der Leyen expressed her appreciation for being considered a candidate for the head of NATO, her spokesperson clarified that she has no intention of accepting the post either presently or in the future. However, rumors suggest that in private conversations with President Biden, the President of the European Commission mentioned that she is not prepared to assume any position within NATO "at least until next year," as reported by The Telegraph.
The White House anticipates that an opportunity to promote von der Leyen to this position may arise after the 2024 election for the head of the European Commission.
Comments (0)