NATO again extends Stoltenberg’s mandate, happy with a safe pair of hands as the war drags on

By LORNE COOK
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO has extended the mandate of Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg for another year. The former Norwegian prime minister has been NATO’s top civilian official since 2014. His term was due to expire last year but was prolonged to keep a steady hand at the helm after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. U.S. President Joe Biden and his NATO counterparts had been due to name a successor when they meet in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11-12, but no agreement has been found on a new candidate. The world’s biggest security organization must decide who should be appointed by consensus. Most NATO countries had been keen to name a woman to the top post.