Ursula von der Leyen is in the running for NATO Secretary General – The Sun

This was reported by the British tabloid The Sun, citing diplomatic sources.

It is known that the current NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who has been in office since October 1, 2014, was supposed to resign last year and planned to head the central bank in his native Norway, but due to Russia's attack on Ukraine, it was decided to extend his term of office until September 30, 2023. 

There are no formal elections for the secretary general, as the 30 member countries of the Western alliance elect a new leader by consensus.

The Americans usually do not nominate their own candidate, as an American general traditionally holds the position of Supreme Allied Commander in Europe. However, the White House has a great deal of influence on who gets this position.

The publication notes that British sources suggest that London is likely to veto von der Leyen's candidacy, citing her "poor record as head of the German Defense Ministry."

It is known that British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace is also among the candidates and claims to be the first British NATO Secretary General in 20 years.

• On March 31, it was reported that NATO was fully reopening its mission in Kyiv to facilitate cooperation and deepening dialogue between Ukraine and the Alliance.