Europe is ready for white smoke from Washington.
NATO Secretary-Basic Jens Stoltenberg will go to the White Home on Tuesday, a part of a visit that might decide whether or not he stays on on the helm of the Western army alliance or if the U.S. will again a brand new candidate.
For months now, Europe has been locked in an countless parlor recreation over who would possibly exchange Stoltenberg, who’s slated to go away his already-extended time period in September after almost 10 years on the helm.
Candidates have risen, fallen and risen once more, whereas some desired successors have repeatedly proclaimed themselves not . Diplomats at NATO headquarters in Brussels will put forth one idea, solely to supply a distinct one within the subsequent sentence.
All through all of it, the U.S. has stayed noticeably mum on the topic, merely indicating President Joe Biden hasn’t settled on a candidate and effusively praising Stoltenberg’s work. But Biden can’t sit on the fence perpetually. Whereas the NATO chief is technically chosen by consensus, the White Home’s endorsement carries heavy weight.
The foot-dragging has left NATO in limbo: whereas some members say it’s excessive time for a contemporary face, the NATO job — historically reserved for a European — has change into extremely delicate. There are few senior European leaders who’re each obtainable and may win the backing of all 31 alliance members for the high-profile submit.
The result’s that every one eyes have turned to Washington because the clock ticks right down to NATO’s annual summit in July — a kind of deadline for the alliance to decide on its subsequent (or prolonged) chief.
“I’d not be one hundred pc positive that the record is closed,” mentioned one senior diplomat from Central Europe, who like others was granted anonymity to debate alliance dynamics. “There may be,” the diplomat added, “a last-minute extension initiative.”
Shadow contest
Diplomats are divided on what is going to occur within the NATO management sweepstakes.
Whereas many candidates nonetheless insist they aren’t within the operating — and Stoltenberg has repeatedly mentioned he plans to go dwelling to Norway, the place he was prime minister — all choices seem to stay on the desk.
In latest days, the 2 doable contenders talked about most frequently in diplomatic circles are Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and British Protection Secretary Ben Wallace.
Frederiksen met with Biden on the White Home final week, turbocharging hypothesis about her future. As a feminine chief from a European Union nation that could be a robust Ukraine supporter however not a full-on hawk, the Danish chief checks off many packing containers for among the alliance’s most influential members.
But talking to reporters in Washington, she insisted, “I’m not a candidate for another job than the one I’ve now, and this has not modified after my assembly with the U.S. president.”
In NATO circles, nonetheless, the narrative is completely different. 4 European diplomats mentioned Frederiksen’s identify continues to be circulating as a critical contender for the submit.
Nonetheless, Frederiksen faces challenges: Denmark already had the highest NATO job lower than a decade in the past. And never everybody is completely enthusiastic.
“The Turks would possibly need to block the Danish candidate,” mentioned the senior Central European diplomat. “There is a long way to this concept (to not Frederiksen personally) additionally elsewhere within the east and within the south, and a few of these international locations would possibly even be a part of a possible blockade.”
Turkey summoned the Danish envoy in Ankara earlier this yr after a far-right group burned a Quran and Turkish flag in Copenhagen. Extra broadly, the Turkish authorities has taken subject with quite a few northern European international locations and continues to be blocking Sweden’s NATO accession bid.
Requested about doable opposition to the Danish chief from Ankara, nonetheless, a Turkish official mentioned: “It’s gossip, interval. We’ve by no means been requested about her candidacy!”
Britain’s Wallace, however, has overtly expressed curiosity within the NATO job.
However he faces an uphill battle. Many allies would like to see a former head of presidency within the position. And a few EU capitals have signaled they might oppose a non-EU candidate.
Requested final week if it’s time for a British secretary-general, Biden was lukewarm.
“Perhaps. That continues to be to be seen,” the president mentioned. “We’re going to should get a consensus inside NATO to see that occur. They’ve a candidate who’s a really certified particular person. However we’re going to have — we’ve a number of dialogue, not between us, however in NATO, to find out what the result of that will likely be.”
Quite a few different names — together with Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Spanish chief Pedro Sánchez — are nonetheless sometimes talked about, though much less incessantly. Sánchez, for his half, might quickly be out there for a brand new job as he faces a troublesome election in July.
Some diplomats merely aren’t loopy about any of the main choices.
“I don’t really feel it,” mentioned a senior NATO diplomat, additionally talking anonymously to debate inner deliberations. The diplomat argued the “almost definitely” state of affairs is yet one more quick extension for Stoltenberg and a have to then “refresh” the record of candidates.
The senior diplomat from Central Europe argued that “the EU core” — among the bloc’s most influential capitals — may be in favor of an extension that may sync up the NATO chief talks with the EU’s upcoming management reshuffle after the EU’s June 2024 elections. Combining the 2 might open the door to extra political horse buying and selling.
However requested final month about his future, Stoltenberg mentioned: “I’ve made it clear that I’ve no different plans than to go away this fall. I’ll have already got been virtually twice so long as initially deliberate.”
Others insisted they remained upbeat concerning the names on the desk.
Each Frederiksen and Wallace, mentioned one senior northern European diplomat, “appear properly certified.”
A senior diplomat from Japanese Europe guess on a brand new NATO chief quickly.
“I believe,” the diplomat mentioned, “we’re shifting nearer to the alternative than extension.”
Eli Stokols contributed reporting.
