Orban gives up opposition to Rutte as NATO Secretary General

Hungary does not have to provide military aid to Ukraine – and is showing its gratitude: Prime Minister Orban wants to support the Dutchman Rutte as the new NATO Secretary General. Now Romania’s voice counts.

Now Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has also given up his resistance to the Dutchman Mark Rutte, who is to become the new NATO Secretary General: Hungary is ready to support Rutte’s candidacy, Orban officially announced on the X platform.

Orban’s condition was that the NATO country Hungary would not have to send money or personnel to help Ukraine in its defensive war against Russia’s attack. This had already been promised by the current NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

reinsurance on the sidelines of the EU dinner

Orban campaigned for the European elections with his rejection of support for Ukraine. But Orban apparently still lacked Rutte’s assurance that things would stay that way if Rutte were to succeed Stoltenberg. Orban has apparently now received this assurance – in a conversation on the sidelines of the EU summit.

But it was also probably about clearing up critical words that Rutte – like many others – had previously said about the Orban system in Hungary.

Slovakia also wants to support Rutte

The NATO Secretary General needs the approval of all 32 NATO member states. Peter Pellegrini, President of Slovakia, recently also signaled his approval.

Now only Romania is missing, whose President Klaus Iohannis also wanted to run.