NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Macedonia and addressed the Assembly, where he expressed satisfaction with his choice of Radmila Šekerinška — the Macedonian politician who now serves as his deputy in the Alliance.

"I can say with certainty that it was my decision to appoint her," Rutte stated, emphasising that Šekerinška is an outstanding choice for the leading NATO team. "And I am proud of that." Šekerinška was appointed to this position on 19 November 2024 and assumed the role on 2 December of the same year.

Rutte highlighted the knowledge and expertise of Šekerinška, which are especially significant in managing the security challenges in the region. The former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Macedonia now occupies a key position in the international security architecture.

On questions about NATO and the ongoing conflicts, Rutte was unambiguous: the Alliance is not involved in military operations in Iran, but will defend any member country. "NATO is not involved in the operations in Iran, but we will protect every member country," he said before the Macedonian parliament.

Šekerinška, meanwhile, stressed that NATO's goal is defensive, not aggressive — to provide security for over a billion people rather than to conquer new territories. In her first interview with Macedonian media after assuming the role, she spoke about strengthening defence budgets and support for the defence industry.

With this visit, Rutte confirmed Macedonia's commitment to an active contribution to regional and global security, and the appointment of Šekerinška is regarded as an asset for both NATO and the region.