European Commission denies President Ursula von der Leyen's candidacy to lead NATO
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is not running for the post of NATO secretary general, a Commission spokesperson said on Saturday, quoted by dpa, according to Digi24.
Claims on the subject by the British newspaper The Sun are "unfounded speculation", the Commission said at the request of that agency.
The newspaper had reported that - according to a diplomatic source - Ursula von der Leyen is seeking to succeed Jens Stoltenberg as head of the North Atlantic Alliance. Other sources told the newspaper that the British government would oppose such an appointment because of the mistakes made by the EC president during her time as German defence minister.
Jens Stoltenberg's term was extended until March last year, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, and is due to end on 30 September this year. The 63-year-old Norwegian politician has been NATO secretary-general for almost nine years, during which time his departure deadline has been postponed three times, reports dpa, quoted by Agerpres.
Speculation has recently emerged that, in the context of the war in Ukraine, there could be a further extension. At the same time, some diplomats have said that keeping Jens Stoltenberg at the helm could give the impression that NATO cannot agree on a new secretary-general.
