Stoltenberg agrees to extend his term as NATO secretary general

BRUSSELS — NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg finally gave in. Having previously announced that he would leave the job this September, he reversed himself Tuesday and said that he had agreed to extend his mandate another year, until October 2024.

Stoltenberg confirmed what had come to seem inevitable, saying on Twitter: “Honoured by #NATO Allies’ decision to extend my term as Secretary General until 1 October 2024.”

His reappointment takes a contentious issue off the agenda of NATO’s yearly summit meeting, scheduled for next week in Vilnius, Lithuania. The meeting is designed to show trans-Atlantic unity and solidarity in support for Ukraine as it battles Russia’s invasion.

The Biden administration has been unenthusiastic about other candidates for the job while the war in Ukraine still rages, and France and other members of the European Union had made it clear that they would not accept a non-EU figure in the role.

Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen went to Washington last month to meet with President Biden and US officials, but she later said that she was no longer a candidate to be NATO secretary general and would back Stoltenberg if he was willing to extend his tenure.

Stoltenberg, 64, a former Norwegian prime minister, has served in the job since 2014 and has had his mandate extended three times. He has earned the trust of allies, particularly Washington, through his calm demeanor, his public humility, and his ability to navigate the demands of what are now 31 member states in an organization that runs by consensus.

He was particularly praised for his ability to work with former president Donald Trump, whose contempt for NATO was often on display.