Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has already expressed interest in succeeding Jens Stoltenberg when his term as Secretary General of NATO becomes vacant next year.
"Provided Latvia would decide to stand for the candidacy of the secretary general, Dr. Krišjānis Kariņš is ready to join the competition," according to a statement shared by Kariņš' spokesman on Sunday.
The 58-year-old resigned as prime minister in August as his party sought to form a new government and has only been working full-time as Foreign Minister since the new coalition formed in September.
According to the statement, he would offer "to contribute to the alliance with his leadership experience as prime minister, clear understanding of Russia's threat, strong stance on Ukraine, and proven track record as an international consensus builder."
"The geopolitical situation and the nature of challenges surrounding the North Atlantic Alliance require dynamic, determined, and consensus-based leadership," Kariņš' statement said, adding that under his leadership, "Latvia has consistently met and exceeded the 2 percent target in defense spending."
Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Kallas have both expressed interest in the high-profile, high-pressure job after a fourth extension Stoltenberg's tenure ends in October.
Choosing a new Secretary General needs to be a unanimous decision of all 31 NATO member states. By tradition, the post is held by a European rather than an American, but Kariņš has dual U.S. and Latvian citizenship.
Among 13 people to hold the post, there has never been a female Secretary General, despite NATO's belief that "gender equality must be considered as an integral part of NATO policies, programs and projects."
According to NATO, "The Secretary General is the Alliance’s top international civil servant. This person is responsible for steering the process of consultation and decision-making in the Alliance and ensuring that decisions are implemented."
The Secretary General is a senior political figure from a NATO member country, appointed by member states for a four-year term. The selection is carried out through informal diplomatic consultations among member countries, which put forward candidates for the post. No decision is confirmed until consensus is reached on one candidate.
Krišjānis Kariņš is Latvia's longest-serving head of government since it regained independence in 1991. Domestically he recently attracted criticism for his use of private jets to attend international meetings – not something that would be likely to be an issue as NATO Secretary General.
The Secretary General is a senior political figure from a NATO member country, appointed by member states for a four-year term. The selection is carried through informal diplomatic consultations among member countries, which put forward candidates for the post. No decision is confirmed until consensus is reached on one candidate.
