Rutte takes reins at NATO as US vote looms [Video]

Former Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte takes over as NATO’s secretary general on Tuesday as the Western military alliance reaches a critical juncture weeks from a momentous US election.

The straight-talking 57-year-old replaces Jens Stoltenberg, whose decade at the helm has seen NATO grapple with Russia’s war on Ukraine, China’s rising might — and Donald Trump’s first term in power in Washington.

The two veteran politicians will lay a wreath at NATO’s Brussels headquarters to soldiers fallen during the alliance’s 75-year history, before a ceremonial Icelandic gavel is used to mark the official handover.

In opting for Rutte, a staunch US ally and stalwart backer of Ukraine, NATO’s 32 nations have picked a leader expected to keep pushing support for Kyiv and efforts to bolster the alliance’s own defences in the face of Russia.

“There might be nuances, changes of emphasis possibly — but there’s going to be a lot …