By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday hailed NATO’s decision to extend Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s tenure by another year, opting to stick with a seasoned leader as war continues to rage at the doorstep. of the alliance rather than trying to agree on a successor.
Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister, has been the head of the transatlantic security alliance since 2014 and his term had already been extended three times.
The move signifies continuity at the top of NATO as its 31 members grapple with the challenge of backing Ukraine to repel an invasion of Moscow while avoiding a direct conflict between NATO and Russian forces.
“Through his consistent leadership, experience and judgment, Secretary General Stoltenberg has led our Alliance through the most significant challenges to European security since World War II,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House. .
The president said the NATO alliance is currently “stronger, more united and more determined than it has ever been”.
“I look forward to continuing to work with Secretary General Stoltenberg to further strengthen the Alliance next week at the NATO Summit in Vilnius, and ahead of NATO’s 75th Anniversary Summit in Washington, DC later this year. next,” Biden said.
Stoltenberg, 64, is widely regarded across the alliance as a stable leader and patient consensus builder.
Stoltenberg in a tweet said he was honored by the decision to extend his term until October 1, 2024.
His next tasks are to oversee a transformation of NATO forces to refocus on defending against any Russian attack, after decades in which the alliance focused on missions beyond its borders, such as in Afghanistan and the Balkans.
He will also have to manage differences over how NATO should get involved in Asia, with the United States pushing for a bigger role in the fight against China, while others, such as France, insist on the fact that NATO must remain focused on the North Atlantic region.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Mark Porter)