Norway’s former Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, has been appointed as the new chief of NATO. He will start work in October, replacing Anders Fogh Rasmussen as secretary general.
Stoltenberg is the second Scandinavian in a row to lead the military alliance. The White House welcomed the appointment, praising Stoltenberg as a proven leader. Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, said the alliance was getting a strong and unifying secretary general.
The announcement of Stoltenberg’s appointment comes at a critical time for the 28-nation alliance as the crisis over Crimea deepens. Speaking in Oslo, Stoltenberg described the crisis as a brutal reminder of the importance of NATO. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who took up the role as NATO secretary general in 2009, will step down after a summit in Wales later this year.
