Jens Stoltenberg To Remain As NATO Secretary General

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will serve for two more years at the head of the world's biggest military alliance.

Brussels-based Nato said in a statement on Tuesday that its 29 nations decided to prolong the former Norwegian prime minister's term until September 30th, 2020.

It said the allies "congratulate the secretary-general and have full confidence in his ability to continue his dedicated work to advance Nato's adaptation to the security challenges of the 21st century".

Prime Minister Theresa May also praised the Secretary-General on his extended mandate, saying: 

“Secretary-General Stoltenberg has been a true champion of the NATO Alliance and the values it represents.

“He has made sure that NATO has stood strong but not stood still, meeting Russian aggression in eastern Europe while reforming to face developing threats such as cyber-attacks and hybrid-warfare.

“The UK has always shared his desire to ensure that NATO keeps pace in an ever-changing environment.

“I am delighted that the Secretary-General will now have the opportunity to build on this and I look forward to continuing our strong partnership.”

Last week, the German government backed a two-year extension of Mr Stoltenberg's term.

Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said Mr Stoltenberg had "the full support of Germany", adding he had "done excellent work modernising Nato and adapting its structures to a changed security situation".