Nato chief Stoltenberg to stay in post for extra year

Nato leaders are extending the mandate of Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg for an extra year to help steer the 30-nation military organisation through the crisis sparked by Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Mr Stoltenberg tweeted on Thursday that he is “honoured” by the decision of Nato leaders “to extend my term as Secretary General until 30 September 2023″.

“As we face the biggest security crisis in a generation, we stand united to keep our alliance strong and our people safe,” he said.

The former Norwegian prime minister was appointed to Nato’s top civilian post in October 2014. It is the second time that his term of office has been extended. His mandate was due to expire in September.

In February, Norway’s government appointed Mr Stoltenberg as head of the Scandinavian country’s central bank and said it hoped he could start in his new role around December 1.

It later said that deputy governor Ida Wolden Bache would be in charge until Mr Stoltenberg can take over.

The 63-year-old has described Russia’s war on Ukraine as “the most serious security situation we have been in for decades”.

Mr Stoltenberg has been praised for steering Nato through a difficult and divisive period under the Trump administration, when the US threatened not to come to the aid of member countries that were not spending enough on defence.

Speaking to reporters on an Air Force One flight to Brussels on Wednesday, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that President Joe Biden “thinks very highly of Secretary-General Stoltenberg”.

“They’ve developed a relationship of trust,” Mr Sullivan said. “Secretary-General Stoltenberg has played an instrumental role in helping secure the powerful unity you’ve seen at Nato through this crisis.”

Mr Stoltenberg served two spells as prime minister in Norway and he also served as finance minister, and industry and energy minister.