Turkey has told allies that it will back the candidacy of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to be NATO's next secretary-general, a Turkish official said on Monday, an important step towards securing him the top job.
NATO takes decisions by consensus, so any candidate needs the support of all 32 allies.
Turkey, along with fellow NATO member states Hungary, Slovakia and Romania - whose President Klaud Iohannis is standing against Rutte - has not publicly voiced its support for Rutte to succeed Jens Stoltenberg, who will be stepping down as the head of the military alliance in October.
Ankara's backing may increase pressure on Iohannis to withdraw from the contest, though Hungary has expressed opposition to Rutte's candidacy.
Rutte - The Netherlands' longest-serving leader - announced his departure from Dutch politics last July, but remains in post. He has good relationships with British, European Union and U.S. leaders, including Trump.