That day has finally come... Another man at the helm of NATO

The change at the head of the Alliance occurs at a time when NATO is facing some of the biggest challenges in its history.

Stoltenberg, NATO's 13th Secretary General, took office in 2014, and the length of his tenure was surpassed only by Dutch diplomat Joseph Luns, who spent 13 years at the helm of NATO.

NATO Military Committee officially said goodbye to Stoltenberg yesterday, and the Deputy Chairman of the Military Committee, Lt. Gen. Andrew M. Rawlings, praised his "democratic leadership and the spirit of strength and unity that he brought to the allied countries".

In his speech, Stoltenberg thanked for "the effort and cooperation over the past 10 years" and emphasized that "NATO is now bigger, stronger and more ready than ever to face any challenge", as well as that "NATO's resilience and strength do not depend on individuals but on the collective".

A series of handover events will be held today at the NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Rutte will become the 14th Secretary General in the history of NATO.