BERLIN: NATO will again extend Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s term as the alliance seeks to maintain stability amid the war in Ukraine, Welt M. Sontag said on Sunday, citing unnamed diplomatic sources.
The newspaper said members would extend Stoltenberg’s term until April 2024 for his “remarkable achievements” and ensuring the stability of the military alliance amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
An informal agreement was reached among the 30 member states that Stoltenberg should stay on after his term expires on Sept. 30, the newspaper said, adding that a formal decision would be made in the coming weeks.
Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO will strengthen its partnership with Japan.
NATO has said it has no intention of seeking another extension of its mandate. Stoltenberg, an economist by training and former leader of the Norwegian Labor Party, last year extended his original NATO tenure.
He was Norway’s prime minister from 2000-01 and 2005-13, before becoming NATO leader the following year. He also served as finance minister and energy minister.
Welter said coalition members want Stoltenberg to host the group’s 75th anniversary summit in Washington in April 2024. He will also become president of the World Bank after David Malpass leaves office.
Welt said no decision had been made on who would succeed Stoltenberg, but Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace were among the leading candidates for the job.