Rutte was elected Secretary General of the world’s most powerful military and political alliance on June 26, but has now officially assumed the role. Rutte served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands for nearly 14 years, becoming the first liberal to lead the country’s government in 92 years . He is known for his political deal-making skills and as a fierce critic of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and a staunch ally of Ukraine. Rutte grew up in The Hague and had initially aspired to become a pianist, but ended up studying history at Leiden University. He became involved in politics as a leade…