British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace is interested in becoming the successor to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

“I have always said that this is an important position. I would be happy to take her,” he said in an interview with the German Press Agency in Berlin (DPA)..

He added that he would be happy to do his part to ensure that the vastness of the Alliance reigned safety and people could "

“NATO Secretary General is a fantastic position, the North Atlantic Alliance is extremely important for the security of all of us,” he stressed..

At the same time, he added that he was also pleased with his current position in the UK government, especially now that years of underfunded defense agencies are coming to the fore due to the war in Ukraine..

Jens Stoltenberg's term was last extended due to Russia's war against Ukraine, but it expires at the end of September. In February, Stoltenberg rejected reports of a possible further extension of his tenure.. The Norwegian has led the alliance since the end of 2014..

About who will head the organization, the member countries of the alliance usually agree behind the scenes. The commander-in-chief is usually a representative of the United States, while the secretary general is chosen from among other, predominantly European, member states..

The media reported that former German Defense Minister and current President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen are also candidates.. Von der Leyen, in turn, rejected the report of her allegedly planned transition to the post of head of the defense alliance.. In total, there were at least five candidates for this position in the press..

Analysts call Wallace a good candidate for this post, writes RND. First of all, because he has long been deeply involved in everything related to the war in Ukraine, down to the smallest detail.. The British were the only European state that considered the possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine even before February 2022, and prepared Ukrainian troops for such an event..

In addition, if NATO is led by a British representative, Europe, which after Brexit was predicted to begin a split, would become stronger as a result of such a union.. A Briton as head of NATO would send the opposite geopolitical signal: Europe is moving closer, whether someone leaves the EU or not, at least as far as defense is concerned.

The British Secretary of Defense, unlike his potential competitors, is also familiar with nuclear war. This may give him additional credibility in a historical setting where deterrence is key..

In addition, experts suggest that Wallace at the head of NATO will provide an integration effect and be able to keep the Atlantic Alliance in the event of future internal crises.. Such a crisis could arise, for example, if Donald Trump is re-elected to the United States in November 2024..

Even the NATO naysayers in Washington would have heard Wallace, as he is from a country whose willingness to defend itself is undeniable..

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The media also named Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland as one of the candidates for the post of NATO Secretary General..

Another Briton expressed a desire to compete for the post of NATO Secretary General: former Prime Minister and great friend of Ukraine Bory Johnson.