THE US President Joe Biden he asked his general secretary NATO Jens Stoltenberg to remain in office for another year, Norwegian media reported today.

Stoltenberg, 64, was appointed secretary general of the Alliance on October 1, 2014 for a four-year term, and has already served two terms, the last of which was extended to September 30, 2023.

The Alliance’s 31 member states are looking for one or another successor to the Norwegian, but have not agreed on a candidate.

According to two Norwegian media outlets, public broadcaster NRK and newspaper Dagens Naeringsliv (DN), citing unnamed sources, Biden is seeking another renewal of Stoltenberg’s term until the summit planned in Washington next year, the which will mark the 75th anniversary of the Alliance.

“The war in Ukraine and the still “frozen” accession of Sweden (to NATO) are strong arguments for not changing the secretary general now,” reports DN.

According to these media outlets, Biden, whose country has a majority vote on the matter, asked during a White House meeting this week that Stoltenberg remain head of NATO, an offer he had originally made. in February and had refused her, according to DN.

On Tuesday, “the most powerful country in the Alliance was even more clear: this time, the American president will not take no for an answer,” DN clarifies.

Stoltenberg has always chosen to give vague answers regarding a new renewal of his term, so as not to completely rule out this possibility.

“I have no intention of asking for an extension” of the term, he repeated today in Brussels, after the meeting of the NATO defense ministers.

This information confirms statements by officials of the Alliance, according to which NATO is moving towards the renewal of the Norwegian’s term.

As among the front-runners to succeed Stoltenberg, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen will be out of the running at this stage, but she could become the Alliance’s secretary-general next year, DN points out.