If Stoltenberg resigns, Eastern European woman could become head of NATO

Future Secretary General of NATO

If current NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg steps down, the organization could be led by a woman, and possibly from a Baltic or Eastern European country.

Jens Stoltenberg stayed on as NATO Secretary General for a year longer than expected because of the war in Ukraine. His term was up on September 30, 2022, but he decided to go on until the fall of 2023..

The American publication Politico, based on a proprietary source, an influential European official has assessed various possibilities of a replacement.

In third place are Prime Minister of Lithuania Ingrida Simonyte, President of Slovakia Zuzana Caputova and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, a German citizen.

Up next are Prime Ministers of the Netherlands and Estonia, Mark Rutte and Kaja Kallas, and British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.

But the most likely candidate, according to the source, is Stoltenberg himself.

The source says that Stoltenberg is ready to leave, though they may not let him go and insist that he work for another year.

Politico cites other European officials as saying that if Stoltenberg leaves, it’s time for a woman to take over, and what’s more, from an Eastern Europe or the Baltic state — someone who has experience working with Russia.

Candidates’ quotes about the war in Ukraine:

Slovak President Zuzana Chaputova: “From the very beginning, in addition to humanitarian aid we also provided military assistance to Ukraine. In terms of volume, this is the largest aid in the history of the Slovak Republic. We have a clear position that medicines and sanitary pads alone cannot stop Russian aggression.”

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission: “Putin will lose and Europe will win… The Russian military is pulling chips out of dishwashers and refrigerators to repair their military equipment because there are no more semiconductors. The Russian industry is in ruins… I want to make it clear: the sanctions are not going anywhere. The time has come for decisions, not for complacency … I want the inhabitants of the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia to know that they are part of our family, they are the future of our union, and our union will be incomplete without them.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte: “Imagine for a moment that Putin succeeded in Ukraine, that he got Kyiv, that he got the whole country. This is not the end of the matter. History teaches us that.”

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas: “I was born during the Soviet occupation. I remember Soviet times. I was part of a generation that lived without freedom… After the Russian invasion in February, many people asked why this happened. Why is Russia waging war and committing genocide in Ukraine? My answer is: just look at history. The Soviet Union fell, but imperialism did not disappear. Russia has forgotten the Soviet past and the truth about it. The lessons of that time were forgotten. Impunity won. Stalinism is back. The use of force continued, first against Moldova, then against Georgia, Crimea and eastern Ukraine. Many people outside of Russia ignored these developments. Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine should not come as a surprise… Any talk of peace terms with the Russian Federation is now dangerous. Russian troops must be completely expelled from the territory of Ukraine.”

British Defense Minister Ben Wallace: “Putin, his entourage and generals repeat the 77-year history of fascism and tyranny with mirror accuracy, repeating the mistakes of the totalitarian regimes of the last century. The absurdity of the actions of Russian generals who participated in Putin’s theft of the glorious history of their ancestors. Their ancestors defended themselves from inhuman aggression, defeated fascism and sacrificed themselves for the sake of a higher goal. And these are ordinary thugs.”

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: “We must correctly evaluate Russia. Russia is planning a long war… It will most likely end at the negotiating table, like most wars. The fastest way to achieve this is to provide [Ukraine] with military support so that President Putin understands that he cannot win on the battlefield and must start honest negotiations.”

Future Secretary General of NATO