Stoltenberg leaves open prospect of staying on as NATO leader

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg holds a press conference on the day of a meeting of the Alliance defence ministers, in Brussels, Belgium June 14, 2023. REUTERS/Yves Herman

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday left open the prospect that his term may be extended as senior officials from alliance member countries openly endorsed the idea - including one of his potential successors.

Stoltenberg's term has already been prolonged three times and he is due to step down in September after nine years as secretary-general of the military alliance, which has assumed even greater importance since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.