Romanian President Iohannis, candidate for NATO Secretary General

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced that he is a candidate for the NATO Secretary General position.
Just months before NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s term, which was extended twice due to the war in Ukraine, ended on October 1, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis declared his candidacy for NATO Secretary General. Speaking at the Cotroceni Palace in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, Iohannis said, “I have decided to enter the race for the NATO Secretary General position.”
Competing against Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who has received support from the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany, Iohannis said that Eastern European countries need to be represented more strongly in NATO leadership. Iohannis stated, “I believe NATO needs to renew its outlook on its mission. Eastern Europe’s contributions to NATO discussions and decisions are valuable. With balanced, strong, and effective representation from this region, the Alliance will be able to make the best decisions to address the needs and concerns of all member countries.”
Iohannis noted that it has been 20 years since Romania joined NATO and that the country’s defense budget has reached 2.5% of its gross domestic product. “Romania supports all of NATO’s missions and contributes to the security of the Balkans and the Black Sea. We also support Ukraine without any preconditions,” he said.

Promise of Ukraine’s existential struggle against Russia
Emphasizing that Romania has become a pillar of stability and security in the region, Iohannis said he made his offer based on Romania’s behalf and the performance it has demonstrated. In an article published today, Iohannis pledged that if he assumes NATO leadership, Ukraine’s existential struggle against Russia will be won, stating that aiding Ukraine is the moral, political, and strategic obligation of NATO members.