2024-02-18 07:20:30
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz did not allow the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to be nominated as a candidate for the post of NATO Secretary General, including because of her anti-Russian position.
As Day.Az reports with reference to TASS, diplomatic sources reported this to the newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
According to the publication, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken proposed the candidacy of von der Leyen to President Joe Biden at the end of 2023, after which the American leader turned to Scholz. The latter rejected this idea. “Scholz was categorically against von der Leyen becoming head of NATO,” one of the sources said. From the chancellor’s point of view, von der Leyen is too critical of Moscow, which could be a negative in the long run.
According to Welt am Sonntag, the favorite for the post of secretary general of the alliance is acting. Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte. Sources also noted that “his support is growing.” “The decision will be made, if possible, before the European Parliament elections in June,” a senior NATO diplomat told the publication.
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