Teflon Mark Rutte to stick to his guns as NATO chief [Video]

A laid-back people person known for holding firm when things get tough, Dutchman Mark Rutte will need all those skills to lead NATO through one of its most challenging times.

Often pictured cycling to work, the 57-year-old starts as NATO Secretary General on October 1, charged with steering the 32-nation alliance through a period of Russian belligerence and possibly US indifference.

In the Hague, it was not uncommon to see Rutte shooting the breeze with fellow cyclists, shopping at his local supermarket or dining in a neighbourhood pizzeria.

After leaving his “Little Tower” prime minister’s office for the last time — on his bike, naturally — Rutte now swaps his easygoing lifestyle for the pressure cooker of Brussels.

A cartoon in Dutch daily NRC summed it up perfectly: Rutte cheerfully crunching an apple on a bike with a NATO logo, heading into a squabbling group threatened by missiles.

The 1.93-metre-tall …