Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit

The newly appointed Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, has emphasized that Ukraine will be his primary focus as he assumes the role, succeeding Jens Stoltenberg. The two leaders made brief statements to the press at NATO's headquarters in Brussels.

Former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte took over as NATO's secretary general on Tuesday as the Western military alliance reaches a critical juncture weeks from a momentous U.S. election.

Margherita Papandreou celebrates her 101st birthday, with former Prime Minister Giorgios Papandreou wishing her a happy birthday with a photo of himself, his brothers and their mother.

Outgoing NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said that both sides of the Atlantic need each other in the face of growing challenges, noting that there is no secure Europe without Türkiye, Norway, the U.K. and U.S.

Outgoing NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg insisted on Thursday that Greece and Turkey "are two valuable and important allies" that contribute to common defense and security in different ways, playing an important role in NATO and being part of decision-making on a daily basis. 

Outgoing NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg will caution the United States and Europe against "isolationism" in his parting speech on Thursday, as Donald Trump vies to return to the White House.

"We have heard voices on both sides of the Atlantic calling for America and Europe to part ways," he was to say in a speech on Thursday afternoon in Brussels, according to excerpts seen by AFP.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that individual alliance members should decide whether Ukraine can use long-range missiles to target Russian territory. This issue has been under discussion since Ukraine requested permission to utilize Western missiles for strikes inside Russia. Stoltenberg welcomed the ongoing talks, though no resolution has been reached.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg acknowledged in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), quoted by Reuters, that NATO could have done more to arm Ukraine in an effort to prevent the Russian invasion in 2022. Stoltenberg reflected on his 10-year tenure, citing February 24, 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion, as his worst day in office.

On October 1, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will officially hand over his position to his successor, Mark Rutte, according to a statement from the alliance. A ceremony will be held to mark the occasion, during which both Stoltenberg and Rutte will deliver speeches.

Five people were killed and 46 wounded in a Ukrainian attack on the southwestern Russian city of Belgorod, according to local authorities quoted by Reuters. The governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, stated that many of those injured in the attack were hospitalized.