London, Feb 24 (FN Bureau) Ousted UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson admitted that he continued to see himself as a candidate for the top NATO job, even though an EU candidate was better placed to win the race. Jens Stoltenberg of Norway was to stand down as NATO chief last September but his term was extended by a year to maintain continuity within the alliance during the Ukrainian conflict. His office denied media reports that he might stay until the fall of 2024.
Asked by the Ukrainian parliamentary television channel, RADA TV, if it was time he threw his hat into the ring, Johnson said that it was an excellent idea but that the EU was arguing that the next NATO boss should come from an EU country. He added that he still considered himself a candidate and might run another time. In a separate interview with Sky News, Johnson said that the United Kingdom must “break the ice” by becoming the first Western country to supply Ukraine with fighter jets. He also cautioned China against making a “historic mistake” by supplying weapons to Russia as the two countries continue to grow closer together.