ISTANBUL (AP) — The Netherlands’ outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte was in Turkey on Friday, seeking support from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the Dutch official’s bid for the position of NATO secretary general.

Incumbent NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister who has been NATO’s top civilian official since 2014, is nearing the end of his term. His mandate had been extended several times as the alliance needed to keep a steady hand at the helm after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

NATO members Turkey and Hungary had earlier expressed reservations about Rutte’s candidacy. During his friday visit, Rutte spoke at a joint news conference with Erdogan.

The southern wing of NATO “needs Turkey and its leadership,” Rutte said, describing Ankara as a very influential actor in the region and a geopolitical power.