Brussels: Romania's president has dropped out of the race to become NATO's next chief, making outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte all but certain to become secretary general of the world's largest military organization in October.

Romania's presidential office has backed Rutte. It also said that President Iohannis informed NATO last weekend that he intends to withdraw from the race. His withdrawal removes the last real obstacle to Rutte.

US President Joe Biden and his counterparts will meet in Washington on July 9-11 to mark NATO's 75th anniversary. Rutte's appointment could be confirmed in the coming days at a meeting of NATO ambassadors or at a leaders' meeting in Washington.

He will officially begin work on Oct. 1. The NATO secretary general is responsible for chairing meetings and guiding consultations among the 32 member states to ensure the consensus-driven organization functions properly.