This will be a moment of truth for Mark Rutte. The former Dutch prime minister is set to open, on Tuesday, June 24, his first summit as secretary-general of NATO, a post he has held since October 1, 2024. When he was first appointed, Rutte's job description – drafted by former US Democratic President Joe Biden following discussions with the other 31 allies – was clear. What was needed was someone to deftly manage the next occupant of the White House, who even at that time was projected to be Donald Trump − now expected in The Hague on Tuesday.

The assessment of Rutte's first nine months will be based primarily on the success − or failure − of The Hague summit, as well as on his ability to avoid drama and disaster, according to a diplomat within the organization. Despite a few difficult moments leading up to the summit, "his standing is fairly good among the allies," a source in Brussels confided.

So far, Rutte has demonstrated both skill and a certain finesse, sources in Brussels have said. He has retained the personal qualities that allowed him to lead the Netherlands for 14 years − an iron fist in a velvet glove − and is a politician who listens and constantly seeks compromise, diplomats at the NATO headquarters have also confirmed. For France, this has represented a real change; close to Emmanuel Macron, Rutte "does not live within the ideal of a world without France," which claims a special place in the alliance, a diplomatic source stressed, referring to Rutte's Norwegian predecessor Jens Stoltenberg.

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