<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/slovakia">Slovakia</a> supports Mark Rutte's proposed appointment as the next <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/nato">NATO</a> secretary-general, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini said on Tuesday, one of the last countries in the alliance to fall in line behind the outgoing Dutch prime minister.</p><p>Slovakia had preferred a "geographically" closer candidate from central and eastern Europe, such as Romanian President Klaus Iohannis who had also sought the job, but now backs Rutte, Pellegrini said after a European Union summit in Brussels.</p><p>"After a final discussion with Mark Rutte and consultation with the Slovak government, Slovakia can imagine Mark Rutte as the NATO chief," and will support him, Pellegrini said at a news briefing broadcast live on television.</p><p>The United States, Britain, France and Germany back Rutte to succeed Jens Stoltenberg, who will step down as NATO's head in October.</p><p>NATO takes decisions by consensus, so any candidate needs the support of all 32 allies. With the nods of Slovakia and Hungary, Rutte now awaits support from just Romania.</p>.What to Know About the Shooting of Slovakia's Prime Minister.<p>Slovakia, which borders Ukraine, had stressed the need for the next NATO chief to help deal with the protection of Slovak airspace, Pellegrini said, after the previous Slovak government donated an S-300 system to Ukraine, and allies pulled out Patriot batteries that had been temporarily placed there.</p><p>"We will ask NATO to find somewhere in member states an air-defence system" that could be placed in Slovakia until the country has its own system, Pellegrini said.</p><p>Separately, Hungary has also dropped its opposition to Rutte, Dutch media reported on Tuesday. Turkey told its allies in April it would support Rutte.</p><p>Romania's Iohannis said in March he was running for the NATO top job, arguing Eastern European states needed better representation in Euro-Atlantic leadership roles.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/slovakia">Slovakia</a> supports Mark Rutte's proposed appointment as the next <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/nato">NATO</a> secretary-general, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini said on Tuesday, one of the last countries in the alliance to fall in line behind the outgoing Dutch prime minister.</p><p>Slovakia had preferred a "geographically" closer candidate from central and eastern Europe, such as Romanian President Klaus Iohannis who had also sought the job, but now backs Rutte, Pellegrini said after a European Union summit in Brussels.</p><p>"After a final discussion with Mark Rutte and consultation with the Slovak government, Slovakia can imagine Mark Rutte as the NATO chief," and will support him, Pellegrini said at a news briefing broadcast live on television.</p><p>The United States, Britain, France and Germany back Rutte to succeed Jens Stoltenberg, who will step down as NATO's head in October.</p><p>NATO takes decisions by consensus, so any candidate needs the support of all 32 allies. With the nods of Slovakia and Hungary, Rutte now awaits support from just Romania.</p>.What to Know About the Shooting of Slovakia's Prime Minister.<p>Slovakia, which borders Ukraine, had stressed the need for the next NATO chief to help deal with the protection of Slovak airspace, Pellegrini said, after the previous Slovak government donated an S-300 system to Ukraine, and allies pulled out Patriot batteries that had been temporarily placed there.</p><p>"We will ask NATO to find somewhere in member states an air-defence system" that could be placed in Slovakia until the country has its own system, Pellegrini said.</p><p>Separately, Hungary has also dropped its opposition to Rutte, Dutch media reported on Tuesday. Turkey told its allies in April it would support Rutte.</p><p>Romania's Iohannis said in March he was running for the NATO top job, arguing Eastern European states needed better representation in Euro-Atlantic leadership roles.</p>