Canada's Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland could become next NATO chief: Report

Chrystia Freeland, deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Cana could replace Jens Stoltenberg as a NATO secretary general unless his term is extended, an American newspaper reported on Friday, citing a US official familiar with debate. With tenure of NATO’s current chief, Jens Stoltenberg, scheduled to end next fall, who among allies should replace him? Besides Chrystia Freeland, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Slovak President Zuzana Caputova, and ex-Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, who also was Croatia's ambassor to US and an assistant secretary general for public diplomacy at NATO, are named as strong contenders from European Union, according to report. UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace is ar contender for post, newspaper cited UK officials as saying. 

Who will be next NATO Chief?

Chrystia Freeland, 54, a former journalist, has also been Cana’s foreign minister. Considering her vants: she speaks English, French, Italian, Ukrainian and Russian; she has run complicated ministries; she is good at news conferences and or public appearances, and she would be first woman and first Canian ever to run NATO. According to official, Freeland is prime candidate that has surfaced in Washington for NATO Chief. However,  newspaper also cited a NATO official as saying that NATO member states could agree to extend Stoltenberg's term as NATO secretary general in office by ar year in September. Furr, a NATO source told Sputnik in mid-October that ex-Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi is most likely to become next NATO chief since alliance is looking for a former high-ranking official with a deep understanding of European security architecture amid Ukraine crisis. But one of senior NATO officials said that re is a high probability that next NATO Secretary General will be a woman. Stoltenberg's term as secretary general was due to expire this fall, but his term was extended for ar year, until September 30, 2023, against backdrop of Ukraine crisis.