New NATO Secretary General declares Ukraine priority as Alliance leader

Mark Rutte, who will officially become NATO's new Secretary General on Tuesday, has said that Ukraine will be at the top of his list of priorities as the Alliance's new leader. 

Mark Rutte noted before his inauguration ceremony at NATO headquarters in Brussels that Stoltenberg's priorities during his tenure as Secretary General would also be his priorities in the future. 

"Ukraine. We have to make sure that Ukraine prevails as a sovereign, independent, democratic nation," Rutte said.

He stressed that Ukraine is "at the top of the list" of his priorities.

Other priorities, he said, will be deterrence and the defence of the Alliance. 

"We have to spend more. We have to increase our collective defence," Mark Rutte said. 

He also noted that, like Stoltenberg, he will build NATO's alliances with partners around the world.

"One thing will not change. That is NATO's core mission: That we defend our people, our nations and, of course, our values," he added.

As for Stoltenberg, he said NATO is in good hands with Mark Rutte in charge.

Rutte was officially confirmed as NATO Secretary General in June this year.