The United States welcomes the arrival of Mark Rutte as NATO's next Secretary General. I worked with Mark during his tenure as Prime Minister of the Netherlands and have tremendous confidence in his abilities to build consensus with Allies and demonstrate that unity stands as our most valuable currency.
We are also grateful for the service of Jens Stoltenberg, who steps down today after a decade of truly remarkable service to the Trans-Atlantic Alliance. When he was selected in 2014, we knew he would ensure NATO's continued strength and unity. Over the past 10 years, he exceeded those expectations under some of the most challenging circumstances imaginable. Together we have grown the Alliance, we have adapted to new challenges, we have provided Ukraine with the means to defend itself, we have strengthened the Alliance's relationship with its Indo-Pacific partners, and we have improved the Alliance's capabilities as Allies have significantly increased defense spending. Secretary General Stoltenberg has been a steadfast partner and a trusted friend of the United States.
We look forward to continuing this progress with Secretary General Rutte.
