Turkey announced that it will support the candidacy of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the new NATO Secretary General.
According to information received from Turkish officials, Turkey announced that it will support Rutte for the new NATO Secretary General post.
Following Rutte’s meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul last week to seek his support for the post of NATO Secretary General, Turkey today informed NATO members that it would support Rutte.
‘We need Turkey’s leadership’
On April 26, President Erdogan held a bilateral meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Rutte, who visited Turkey, at Vahdettin Mansion.
At the joint press conference, Mark Rutte said that NATO’s southern flank needs Turkey and Turkey’s leadership.
Dutch Prime Minister Rutte said, “Turkey is playing a decisive role. In doing so, it is making efforts to resolve the situation in Gaza. It is also trying to deal with this terrible war in Ukraine. In that sense, you are playing an important role.”
Turkey was one of the 4 countries that did not openly announce its support for Rutte
Turkey was one of four countries that did not openly support Rutte until his visit. Rutte is running against another rival candidate, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.
In addition to Romania, Rutte also needs to convince Hungary and Slovakia. Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who leads the Hungarian government, has publicly opposed Rutte’s candidacy.
