Mark Rutte seeks Türkiye's backing for new job
A new pair of hands
ANALYTICS 24 April 2024 - 16:55
Fuad Shahbazov |
Reportedly, the Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte will soon land in Türkiye to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Rutte’s visit to Istanbul has different colours as the Dutch prime minister seeks to woo Turkish support to become the next NATO chief. The current NATO chief, Jens Stoltenberg, will soon be stepping down after a decade in service. The current NATO chief went through uneasy times, particularly during Donald Trump's presidency and deteriorating relations between the United States (US) and NATO countries.
The new successor of Stoltenberg is set to be chosen soon as it is necessary to finish the latest appointment to delink the process from the upcoming European Union (EU) and the US presidential elections in 2024. While Washington is widely seen as the kingmaker, anyone from one of NATO's 31 governments can play the spoiler. As such, Mark Rutte occasionally travels around Europe seeking vocal support from NATO member states. Recently, Sweden announced that it is among NATO member countries that want Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to lead the defence alliance after Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Indeed, Prime Minister Mark Rutte is in a strong position to become the next leader of NATO after he received the backing of the US, Sweden, Estonia, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Other hopefuls include Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Latvia's former prime minister and current foreign minister Krisjanis Karins.
Having led several Dutch coalition governments over the past 13 years, Mark Rutte has accumulated a wealth of experience, diplomatic skills, and contacts both in Europe and across the globe and is known as a pragmatist who is well aware of the importance of trans-Atlantic ties.
Nevertheless, Rutte's quest for Turkish support may not come easy as President Erdogan is expected to negotiate Ankara's demands before officially extending his support to Rutte's candidacy. As such, President Erdogan is keen to ensure that Rutte — or any other candidate — won't be biased toward the alliance's European Union members, particularly that he won't bow to pressure from EU member states Greece and Cyprus. Moreover, Türkiye also wants Rutte to allow Ankara to be included in NATO partnerships with the EU and ensure there won't be defence export restrictions between NATO allies.
Reportedly, during the vis-a-vis meeting, President Erdogan emphasized the importance of the new Secretary General serving the security and interests of the members in combating terrorism and other challenges.
Before the NATO chief case, Türkiye successfully traded concessions from NATO member states, including the Netherlands, to approve Sweden and Finland's bid for accession to NATO ranks. As part of the negotiations, the Netherlands withdrew restrictions on sales of arms to Türkiye more than three years after it had suspended them following Ankara’s military incursion into northern Syria. Even before that, personal relations between PM Mark Rutte and President Erdogan were strained in 2017, and diplomatic relations between the two states were shortly neglected.
Seemingly, Mark Rutte is committed to gaining Ankara's support as it is one of the most critical NATO member countries defending the organization’s eastern flanks. However, even if Rutte receives a green light from Türkiye, he is still far from securing the NATO chief position. Hungary, another NATO member country, earlier made it clear that it would not support Rutte's candidacy. Therefore, Rutte’s further attempts to replace Stoltenberg may face harsh opposition.
Indeed, the next Secretary of NATO will be under tough pressure amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, the changing geopolitical landscape in Eastern Europe, and other threats stemming from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip and Israel-Iran tensions. As the next potential chief of NATO, Rutte will be expected to demonstrate a solid commitment to support Ukraine militarily despite mounting costs and war fatigue — and guarding the alliance from a direct confrontation with Russia.
In addition to the Ukraine and Iran-Israel problem, the next NATO chief may face additional troubles after the upcoming US elections if Donald Trump secures the second term, as he has fiercely criticized NATO countries for spending too little on defence.
Caliber.Az
1
|
Phantom arms deal: How false claims aim to derail Baku-Tehran diplomacy Azerbaijan embraces "forewarned is forearmed" principle
25 July 2024 - 15:34
|
2
|
Could France’s anti-NATO rhetoric trigger domestic turmoil? Leftist Mélenchon's stance sparks historical echoes
24 July 2024 - 10:24
|
3
|
Azerbaijan: The new powerhouse of aluminium production amid global market strain "Green" era's requirement
25 July 2024 - 17:05
|
4
|
Brussels' bait and Yerevan's rush to swallow it The visa-free temptation
24 July 2024 - 09:00
|
5
|
West-backed Armenia likely to spark conflict with Azerbaijan rather than seek peace Caliber.Az reveals expert prognoses
25 July 2024 - 11:10
|
Japan addressing increasing incidents of customer harassment
Service culture under strain27 July 2024 - 03:05
Swiss spots struggle with social media-driven visitor impact
Tourism vs. nature27 July 2024 - 01:03
German chancellor tackles EU expansion, internal reform challenges
Path forward26 July 2024 - 23:03
Italian newspaper explores Azerbaijan's ancient Albanian churches
26 July 2024 - 21:08
Azerbaijani prosecutor general declares ties with Türkiye as strategic partnership
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 20:55
Azerbaijan, Italy strengthening military relations
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 20:42
China demands withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from Europe
26 July 2024 - 20:29
Pentagon concedes to spreading anti-Sinovac propaganda in Philippines
26 July 2024 - 20:16
COP29 presidency team hosts events to tackle key climate agenda issues
26 July 2024 - 20:03
Israel targets Türkiye’s TRT Haber team covering Al-Aqsa mosque incident
26 July 2024 - 19:51
COP20 president: Azerbaijan should lead with ambition at COP29
26 July 2024 - 19:38
Turkish defence minister, Azerbaijani ambassador discuss strengthening military ties
26 July 2024 - 19:25
FBI seeking to interview Trump as part of assassination attempt investigation
26 July 2024 - 19:12
US presidential candidate cites potential path to victory with Biden out of race
26 July 2024 - 18:58
Turkish MP confirms plans for official Azerbaijani school in Istanbul
26 July 2024 - 18:44
US vice president’s call for peace in Gaza sparks controversy with Israel
26 July 2024 - 18:30
FM: Italy to appoint ambassador to Syria after 10 years
26 July 2024 - 18:17
Head of Georgian Parliament blames opposition for compromising national safety
Aid to Ukraine at Georgia’s expense26 July 2024 - 18:03
South Caucasus on edge: West fuels Armenia's war drums
Yerevan clings to deceitful rhetoric26 July 2024 - 18:02
Media: Iran arms Hezbollah with advanced weapons
26 July 2024 - 17:49
Bolsonaro intends to run for Brazilian presidency in 2026, citing confidence in winning
26 July 2024 - 17:36
Armenian PM visits modernised Margara checkpoint on Turkish border
VIDEO26 July 2024 - 17:22
Boeing considers to convert its top fighter into an electronic warfare jet
Caliber.Az on YouTube26 July 2024 - 17:17
Belarus ready to expand cooperation with North Korea
26 July 2024 - 17:09
EU appoints new special representative for South Caucasus
26 July 2024 - 17:01
Azerbaijani-Chinese partnership defies "first among equals" attitudes
Rising above geopolitical cynicism26 July 2024 - 16:55
Armenia's militarization: A "peace agenda" with an armed approach
Yerevan must revisit recent historical lessons26 July 2024 - 16:42
Azerbaijan approves cooperation pacts with Türkiye, Kazakhstan
26 July 2024 - 16:33
Media: US informs Iran of readiness to return to nuclear deal
26 July 2024 - 16:29
Turkish forces take down PKK terrorists in coordinated Iraq and Syria raids
VIDEO26 July 2024 - 16:16
Israeli air strikes hit Hezbollah outposts in response to rocket fire
26 July 2024 - 16:03
Kremlin spox: EU ridicules Orban over Moscow visit
26 July 2024 - 15:51
Armenian parliamentary delegation visits Georgia to strengthen bilateral ties
26 July 2024 - 15:38
Washington talks peace while arming Yerevan
26 July 2024 - 15:38
Travellers from 13 nations explore rebuilding of Karabakh, East Zangazur
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 15:25
European Commission transfers €1.5 billion from frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine's defence
26 July 2024 - 15:25
Trump says US to destroy Iran in case of his assassination
26 July 2024 - 15:12
Kremlin declares dialogue with West futile amid hostility toward Russia
26 July 2024 - 14:59
Somalia, Azerbaijan share common positions on many international forums
Minister’s statement26 July 2024 - 14:46
Azerbaijan promoting tourism potential in India
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 14:33