Rishi Sunak talked up the Defence Secretary Ben Wallace as "widely respected" by global allies on Friday after the cabinet minister confirmed his interest in running for NATO chief.
The Prime Minister appeared to give his blessing, but also stressed that Mr Wallace is currently focused on his critical role in supporting Ukraine's fight against the Russian invasion.
Speaking on the first day of the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Mr Sunak told ITV: "I know he's widely respected by his peers for the role that he has played".
“He’s focused right now on supporting Ukraine. He's doing a great job of that.”
On Thursday the Defence Secretary said the top job at the military alliance - due to become vacant in the autumn - would be "fantastic".
Mr Wallace told the German press agency dpa: "I've always said it would be a good job. That's a job I'd like. But I'm also loving the job I do now.
"I mean, to be Defence Secretary of the British Government at a time of reform and investment, just like Boris Pistorius."
He added that secretary general of the transatlantic alliance "is a fantastic job and Nato is an incredibly important part of all our securities".
"But it's not for me to decide. It's for all the other allies."
The role has been held by Jens Stoltenberg since 2014 and the position is typically decided behind closed doors by Nato member states.
Mr Stoltenberg has pressed member countries to commit more to NATO spending, insisting the world had "become more dangerous" following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
If Mr Wallace is successful in becoming NATO secretary general, a by-election would be triggered in his Wyre and Preston North constituency.
At the last general election in 2019 the Tories secured a healthy majority in the seat, defeating the Labour rival by over 16,000 votes.
