New NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he is determined to prepare the Alliance for the challenges of the future, and his key priorities will include strengthening support for Ukraine and bringing it closer to NATO.
He said this on Tuesday at the ceremony of handing over the powers of the Alliance's Secretary General from his predecessor, Jens Stoltenberg, Ukrinform reports.
"I am determined to prepare NATO for the challenges of the future. As Secretary General, I will work on three priorities. Firstly, to keep NATO strong and ensure that our defence is effective and reliable against all threats. To do this, we need more forces with better capabilities and faster innovation. This requires more investment, because in order to do more, we have to spend more," Rutte said.
He added that there is no free alternative if we want to meet the challenges ahead and keep people safe.
The second priority is to increase support for Ukraine and bring it closer to NATO. Because there can be no strong, lasting security in Europe without a strong, independent Ukraine.
"I know from my own experience after the downing of flight MH17 in 2014 that the conflict in Ukraine is not limited to the frontline. So we have to do our part," he said.
Rutte stressed that "Ukraine's rightful place is in NATO".
According to him, "the third priority is to strengthen our partnership with our unique and important partner, the European Union, and with countries around the world that share our interests and values".
He also stressed that "our security must be the result of a team effort, and I look forward to working closely with all Allies, all of you around this table, in this building, and across NATO".