Mark Rutte formerly served as the Dutch prime minister for almost 14 years. Now, he has been named the new secretary general of NATO. He will take over the position on October 1. Rutte is a harsh critic of Russia and Putin, and a strong supporter of Ukraine. His move into the position will come at a difficult time for NATO with the Russia-Ukraine war. Additionally, there are added pressures from the U.S. election, as U.S. presidential candidate Donald J. Trump dismisses the alliance. Rutte has been a long favorite of current U.S. President Joe Biden, and is known for his ability to create compromise. 

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