Grapevine

Rutte declares Ukraine ‘top priority’ as he takes over as NATO head

Former Dutch PM to lead military bloc amid increasing global tensions over wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan.

NATO must ensure that Ukraine prevails in its war against Russia, the new head of the transatlantic military alliance said after he took charge.

Mark Rutte branded Ukraine his “top priority” as he formally became NATO secretary-general at a ceremony in Brussels on Tuesday. The former Dutch prime minister took over the job from Jens Stoltenberg more than three months after the alliance’s 32 members appointed him.

Stating that he “cannot wait to get to work”, Rutte told journalists: “We have to make sure that Ukraine prevails as a sovereign, independent, democratic nation.”

He also noted that, amid the growing war between Israel and Hezbollah, monitoring the situation in Lebanon is also at the top of his list.