Transatlantic military alliance NATO has appointed Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as its next chief, entrusting him with the leadership role during a critical time for European security amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Rutte’s appointment on Wednesday was a formality after his only rival for the post, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, announced last week that he had quit the race, having failed to gain traction, Al Jazeera reported.

Ambassadors from the alliance’s 32 members took the decision at a meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels.

He will take over from Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on October 1, NATO said in a statement.

Rutte gained early support from key members of the alliance, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, after declaring his interest in the post last year.

He described NATO as a “cornerstone of our collective security”, in a post on X.