Dutch PM and Putin Critic Mark Rutte Confirmed as Next NATO Leader

Mark Rutte will replace Jens Stoltenberg, who will step down as NATO chief in October after nearly a decade at the helm.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte speaks to the media in Brussels on June 17, 2024. Johanna Geron/Reuters

AMSTERDAM—Mark Rutte, the outgoing Dutch prime minister, has been appointed as NATO’s next secretary-general.

Mr. Rutte, 57, who honed his skills as a political dealmaker during nearly 14 years as Dutch prime minister, has been a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a staunch ally of Ukraine.