Stoltenberg

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.

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.

Mariya Gabriel is set to assume the role of Deputy Secretary General of NATO, according to sources cited by Club Z. This development has been confirmed by diplomatic circles, which indicate that Gabriel, the former Deputy Prime Minister, is in line to fill the position currently held by Mark Rutte.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed that the alliance was informed in advance about Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's recent trip to Moscow for discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to Reuters.

NATO appointed Mark Rutte as its next secretary-general on Wednesday, putting the outgoing Dutch prime minister in charge of the world's biggest security organization at a critical time for European security as war rages in Ukraine.

Hungary has dropped its opposition to Mark Rutte's candidacy for NATO secretary general after a meeting between Rutte and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during the EU leaders' council in Brussels, as reported by media outlets in the Netherlands, Agence France-Presse, and the Financial Times.

U.S. President Joe Biden meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Oval Office at the White House, Monday, June 17, 2024.

NATO's chief called Monday for China to face consequences if it keeps up support to Russia as he trumpeted a sharp increase in allies' defense spending since the invasion of Ukraine.

In an interview with "24 Chasa," Acting Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov countered President Radev's claims about Bulgaria sending soldiers to Ukraine. Zapryanov emphasized that NATO, under Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, has clarified it will not engage in hostilities or send troops to Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has urged member countries to reconsider restrictions on Ukraine's use of donated weapons to target military sites in Russia, according to Ukrinform.

The National Assembly of Bulgaria is currently hosting the spring session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, running from today until May 27. Notably, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is anticipated to attend the Assembly meeting.