The French President’s blunt assessment ahead of the alliance’s 70th anniversary summit in London enraged fellow European leaders who admit their countries still rely heavily on NATO for their defence and security. Speaking at a joint news conference with NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg, Mr Macron said: “The questions I have asked are open questions, that we haven’t solved yet.”
He continued: “Peace in Europe, the post-Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty situation, the relationship with Russia, the Turkey issue, who’s the enemy?
“So I say: as long as these questions are not resolved, let’s not negotiate about cost-sharing and burden-sharing, or this or the other.
“So we maybe needed a wake-up call. I’m glad it was delivered, and I’m glad everyone now thinks we should rather think about our strategic goals.”
Leaders of the 29 NATO member states meet in London next week facing serious questions about the future of the US-led alliance.
French diplomats said Mr Macron’s comments came out of frustration at NATO’s lack of coordination at a political level and its failure to tackle taboo subjects.
But his view that NATO is “experiencing brain death” was directly contradicted by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas at the Berlin Foreign Policy Forum.
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Mr Mass said: “Without the United States, we are currently unable to protect ourselves effectively either in Germany or in Europe.
“NATO lives from head to toe, even if there are other diagnoses.”
Poland’s Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz said Mr Macron’s criticism of NATO was “undeserved” and insisted the alliance continues to find “the right answers.”
A senior French diplomat involved in discussions said: “We are trying to channel the electric shock produced by Mr Macron’s comments to structure a political debate.
“The aim is to secure a re-balanced transatlantic alliance with Europe recognising Washington is carrying too much weight.”
NATO is under pressure to help solve some of the world’s most intractable crises and Washington has pushed it to consider its position on China, a growing military power.
As a gesture to Mr Trump, a summit deal is expected for US allies to share more of NATO’s running costs and reduce Washington’s share of annual funding for NATO headquarters and staff from 2021.
Leaders are also set to meet a US demand that European allies have more NATO battalions, ships and planes ready for combat as deterrence against a potential Russian attack.
A senior European NATO diplomat said: “Of course no-one knows what Trump will say. But now we don’t know what Macron or Erdogan will say either.”