As next NATO leader, Mark Rutte will enter a challenging political climate

When former Prime Minister Mark Rutte becomes NATO's next secretary-general on Tuesday, he will immediately face significant challenges, including navigating ongoing threats from Russia. In just over two weeks, NATO's 32 defense ministers are set to meet in Brussels.

It has been 31 months since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. On Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov asked the European countries at the United Nations not to accept Ukraine, a NATO aspirant since 2018, into the alliance. Lavrov asserted that Europe risks entering into a conflict with a nuclear power if it proceeds.

This statement directly addresses NATO’s core principle: collective defense, which commits the 32 member countries to mutual military assistance if any one of them is attacked. Russia argues that by aiding Ukraine, NATO will be crossing a dangerous line, and Moscow has threatened it could respond with nuclear weapons.

NATO members must also stay vigilant on other global flashpoints, including the escalating conflict in the Middle East and rising tensions between China and Taiwan. These political and military challenges are already causing a strain in the United States, NATO’s most powerful member. For decades, U.S. presidents have stated their country might not always act as Europe’s primary protector.

Under Rutte’s leadership, NATO is expected to prioritize strengthening Europe’s military capabilities and independence within the alliance. Rutte is said to be likely to collaborate with the European Union, which recently appointed its first defense commissioner in response to growing military threats, cyberattacks, and economic interference.

Rutte will become the 14th secretary-general in NATO's history. The handover ceremony will take place Tuesday, with speeches and a wreath-laying at NATO headquarters in Brussels. His predecessor, Jens Stoltenberg from Norway, has held the position for 10 years.