BRUSSELS
\nNATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that it was up to alliance members to decide if they want to replace him, as they mull further extending his nine years in charge.
\nAhead of a summit of leaders in Lithuania\u2019s capital Vilnius next month, NATO\u2019s 31 countries are now discussing finding a successor to replace him as the alliance\u2019s secretary general.
\nStoltenberg \u2014 who has been at the helm of Western military alliance since 2014 \u2014 already had his tenure prolonged by a year to October in the wake of Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
\nDanish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has emerged as a possible frontrunner to succeed him. British Defense Minister Ben Wallace has also thrown his hat in the ring.
\nBut there is so far no consensus on a clear pick among NATO members, and diplomats are increasingly talking up the chances of Stoltenberg being asked to stay on.
\nStoltenberg, 64, reiterated that he does not have \u201cany intention of seeking an extension\u201d but that the call was up to NATO members.
\n\u201cWhen it comes to my successor that is an issue to be decided by the 31 allies,\u201d Stoltenberg said at a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.
\n\u201cI\u2019m responsible for all decisions that this alliance has to take except one, and that is about my future \u2014 that is for 31 allies to decide.\u201d
\nSeveral diplomats from NATO countries said Wednesday that they would be favorable to keeping Stoltenberg in charge if no obvious replacement were found.
\nFrederiksen \u2014 who has recently visited the United States, NATO\u2019s dominant power \u2014 ticks the requirements of some European allies as a possible first female leader and from the EU.
\nBut NATO nations on the alliance\u2019s eastern flank have been pushing for someone from their region to take the reins to underscore a tougher stance on Russia.
\nIf she were chosen, Frederiksen would be the third successive NATO chief from Scandinavia, after Stoltenberg, a Norwegian, and Denmark\u2019s Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
\nBritain\u2019s Wallace has been pushed by London, but numerous allies want a former head of state or government in charge, and diplomats say France wants someone from an EU country.
\nThere is no formal process to pick the NATO secretary general and the choice on previous occasions has sometimes been a little-mentioned option who emerged at the last minute.
\nThe alliance head has traditionally been from Europe.
\nAny extension for Stoltenberg would likely be up to a summit in Washington next year to mark the 75th anniversary of the alliance.
\nFinnish Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen said extending Stoltenberg\u2019s tenure \u201cdoesn\u2019t sound bad to my ears\u201d.
\n\u201cStoltenberg has done a very good work but, of course, I\u2019m sure that he\u2019s interested in retiring some day,\u201d Kaikkonen said.
\n\u201cWe\u2019ll see what kind of solution we will have.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BRUSSELS NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that it was up to alliance members to decide if they want to replace him, as they mull further extending his nine years in charge. Ahead of a summit of leaders in Lithuania\u2019s capital Vilnius next month, NATO\u2019s 31 countries are now discussing finding a successor to replace […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":337986,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-337969","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n