Due to the war raging in Europe, the race for the next head of NATO continues.

Politico writes about it.

Jens Stoltenberg was a firm hand when Western capitals rushed to help Ukraine repel the invasion of Russian troops.

But as his term ends in September, speculation is mounting about who might succeed him.

Moscow's war makes it much more difficult to make a decision that requires consensus among the leaders of 30 NATO member states.

The next secretary general must strike a tough balance, encouraging the capital to continue supplying arms to Ukraine and building up NATO's own defenses — while formally staying out of the conflict.

Few people pass the test for this extremely delicate role.

"The general feeling," said one senior NATO diplomat, "is that it is 'time for a breath of fresh air.'

But the Allies may eventually play it safe and stick with Stoltenberg.

Extending Stoltenberg's term is the most mentioned option.

Also on the list of possible candidates are Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.

The third group of less frequently mentioned names, according to the unnamed diplomat, consists of the Prime Minister of Lithuania Ingrid Šimonite, the President of Slovakia Zuzana Čaputova and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen from Germany.

Since all NATO secretaries-general have been men until now, there is pressure within the ranks to appoint a woman.

"Time for a female secretary-general," said a senior NATO diplomat.

"If men try to keep their positions forever, fair representation of women will never stand a chance," he added.

And some allies insisted on greater regional diversity.

Stoltenberg, who has held the post since 2014, is a former prime minister of Norway.

Its last predecessors were the Danes, the Dutch and the British.

The current secretary-general's term was quickly extended last March following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Many officials now believe that another delay for Stoltenberg, even if only for a short time, is a serious possibility.

The long-time leader is considered a reliable pair of hands.

While some delegations would prefer to see a new face soon, Stoltenberg is still seen as the rare senior official who can keep his cool — and stick to the script — even in the most serious crises.

"Stoltenberg wants to stay," said a high-ranking NATO diplomat.

But giving Stoltenberg a short reprieve could leave a future replacement decision facing its own competition for top EU jobs in 2024, not to mention the upcoming US presidential election — an outcome some allies would prefer to avoid.

The NATO spokesman refused to talk about Stoltenberg's future hopes.

When asked about this, the current secretary-general told the media, "I am now focused on my duties."

"I'm not speculating," he added, "about what will happen after I'm in office."

We will remind that recently the President of Ukraine Volodymyr 

.

Politicians talked about integration into NATO and new weapons. 

In addition, 

. 

Read also:

• World news

• War in Ukraine

• News of Ukraine: video

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