Prime Minister Gabriel Attal on Wednesday in The Hague showed Paris' support for the candidacy of his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte to lead NATO, already supported by several member states but contested by Hungary.
“Obviously, we support Mark Rutte's candidacy for NATO in view of his experience, his ability to unite very broadly and his ability to act for our collective security
,” said Gabriel Attal during a press conference with Mark Rutte during a visit to the Netherlands.
Several countries including the United States, Great Britain and Germany have expressed their support for Mark Rutte, but Viktor Orban's Hungary, which maintains close relations with Russia despite the invasion of Ukraine, is opposed.
The name of the resigning head of the Dutch government, who is responsible for current affairs, has been circulating for months insistently to succeed the Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg, current secretary general of the Atlantic Alliance.
The decision is taken by consensus among the Member States for this position which goes to a European.
Mark Rutte puts pressure on to break deadlock in Congress
Mark Rutte, for his part, estimated Wednesday during this press conference that it was
“crucial”
to succeed in
“breaking the deadlock in Congress on the 60 billion dollars for Ukraine”
.
This aid is currently blocked by the US House of Representatives, controlled by the Republicans.
He also said the United States would remain committed to security in Europe, even if Donald Trump returns to the White House after the November elections.
“I am convinced that, whether it is Biden or Trump who wins, the United States will remain involved, in all respects, in NATO but also on Ukraine
,” he declared.
Liberal prime minister since 2010, Mark Rutte has announced his intention to leave the Dutch political scene but he remains in office pending the formation of a new government which has been the subject of negotiations since the victory of the far right in the elections. november.