Joe Biden backs European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to be the next NATO secretary general after Ben Wallace’s bid is blocked

• Current general secretary Jens Stoltenberg was handed another year in charge 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is Joe Biden’s preferred candidate to lead Nato after Ben Wallace’s bid was blocked, it was reported.

Mr Wallace, the Defence Secretary, had long been tipped for the role in charge of the alliance but failed to garner enough support, including from the White House – the largest military power in Nato.

Current Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg was handed another 12 months in charge – extending his reign into a tenth year – after the international community failed to agree on a successor.

But it is believed US President Biden wants Ms von der Leyen in the hot seat.

A Nato source told the Telegraph that Mr Biden was attempting to convince Mrs von der Leyen, a former German defence minister, to succeed Mr Stoltenberg.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is Joe Biden’s preferred candidate to lead Nato (The pair pictured together in 2021)

Jens Stoltenberg said he was ‘honoured’ by the decision and ‘in a more dangerous world, our alliance is more important than ever’

Another source said Mr Biden and Mrs von der Leyen have built ‘a strong bond’ in recent years, fostering close transatlantic ties over China, Ukraine and the climate.

Ms von der Leyen visited the White House in March, when the US and the EU announced the beginning of negotiations of a critical minerals agreement.

She was also heavily involved in the talks with Rishi Sunak to finalise the Brexit deal for Northern Ireland.

Mr Sunak has praised Mr Stoltenberg’s leadership of Nato. He said the alliance has ‘evolved to meet new threats’ and been ‘steadfast in support of Ukraine’ under Mr Stoltenberg.

Mr Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister who has been Nato’s top civilian official since 2014, said he was ‘honoured’ by the decision and ‘in a more dangerous world, our alliance is more important than ever’.

His term was due to expire last year but it was extended after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Nato’s leaders will meet in Lithuania next week, where a decision on a successor was due to be made.

Mr Wallace had pushed to become the first Briton to lead the alliance since 2003, but lacked the necessary support – particularly from the US, the largest military power in Nato.

He told The Economist ‘it’s not going to happen’ and there are ‘a lot of unresolved issues in Nato’.

At the regular Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Mr Sunak said Mr Wallace had been an ‘outstanding candidate’ for the role.

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