Rutte clears biggest hurdle for top Nato job after winning Orbán’s backing

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has backed Mark Rutte as the next secretary-general of Nato after the Dutch leader promised to allow Budapest to opt out of the military alliance’s activities supporting Ukraine.

The deal with Orbán, which was first reported by the Financial Times, comes after months in which the Hungarian PM refused to endorse Rutte, irritating the US and other leading Nato allies such as the UK, France and Germany, who have openly backed the Dutchman for months.

Romania, whose own president Klaus Iohannis launched a rival bid to Rutte, is now the last country to hold out, though it is widely expected to fall in line imminently. The US has made clear it expects to reach unanimous support for the Dutch prime minister by the time of the Nato’s leaders’ summit in Washington next month.

Rutte and Orbán, who have clashed several times in the past and have a strained personal relationship, met on the sidelines of an EU leaders’ dinner in Brussels on Monday night, where the FT reported that the Dutchman had made a deal with the Hungarian leader to secure his support.

Orbán confirmed that deal on Tuesday, saying in a statement that Rutte had pledged that under his tenure “no Hungarian personnel will take part in the activities of Nato in Ukraine and no Hungarian funds will be used to support them”.

“In light of his pledge, Hungary is ready to support PM Rutte’s bid for Nato secretary-general,” Orban added. Slovakia, which had also been holding back its endorsement of Rutte, also said on Tuesday it would support him.

Orbán, the alliance’s most pro-Russian member, has long argued against western support for Ukraine as Kyiv seeks to defend itself against Russia’s full-scale invasion.

A spokesperson for Rutte said he and Orbán had a “good conversation” and that Rutte had promised to maintain a commitment made by outgoing secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg last week.

Stoltenberg told Orbán that Hungary could opt out of Nato activities to support Ukraine, such as a plan for the alliance to take more control of military supplies to Kyiv and the training of Ukrainian troops, as well as long-term financial support.

“I think that’s a good solution that will enable us to move forward on more support for Ukraine within the Nato framework without Hungary blocking,” Stoltenberg said at the time.

In the meeting between Rutte and Orbán, which took place as the EU’s 27 leaders discussed who would fill the bloc’s top jobs for the next five years, the Dutch prime minister did not apologise for past remarks about Orbán at Brussels summits, said one of the people briefed on the discussions.

Rutte, who is likely to leave office in July after a new government is formed in The Hague, has clashed with Orbán over the latter’s hardline views on homosexuality and Hungary’s judicial reforms.

Rutte said the planned new Dutch government, which involves his liberal party but also far-right leader Geert Wilders, would continue to support Ukraine.

“When it comes to foreign policy, the new cabinet will fully continue its course in Europe and Nato with Ukraine,” he added. “There will be no change.”