Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg will continue to serve as the Secretary General of NATO for an additional year. The member states have agreed to extend his mandate until 1 October

2024, as announced by the military alliance in Brussels on Tuesday.

In response, Stoltenberg expressed his "honour" at the decision of the NATO countries. He wrote on Twitter, "The transatlantic bond between Europe and North America has ensured our freedom and security for nearly 75 years. In a more dangerous world, our alliance is more important than ever."

Amidst the ongoing war

Stoltenberg assumed the role of Secretary General of NATO on 1 October 2014 and has served two four-year terms. Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, his mandate was previously extended for one year, until 30 September 2023.

The decision to extend Stoltenberg's mandate was made after the 31 member states failed to reach an agreement on a new Secretary General. Ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania (11-12 July), it was concluded to retain Stoltenberg in his position.

International support

Upon hearing the news, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his support, stating, "I congratulated him on the Allies' decision to extend his mandate as Secretary General for another year. I hope our cooperation will continue to be fruitful in the future."

Stoltenberg had initially announced over a year ago his intention to step down and return to his home country to become the head of the Norwegian central bank.

Despite Stoltenberg repeatedly stating in recent months that he does not aspire to another term, the US government, in particular, has praised his leadership during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. US President Joe Biden commended Stoltenberg for doing an "incredible job" in June.

The plan now is to appoint a successor to Stoltenberg at a summit in Washington in July 2024.

Stoltenberg already holds the distinction of being the second longest-serving Secretary General in NATO's history, with only Dutchman Joseph Luns (1971-1984) having served longer. Photo by Magnus Fröderberg/norden.org, Wikimedia commons.