Mr Macron is facing the deepest crisis of his presidency with a national strike against pension reform bringing much France to to a standstill. But there was little comfort from Brussels where Mr Tusk, who has just completed a five-year-terms in one of the EU’s top jobs, made clear his frustration with the French leader.
He said: “If we want to treat Macron as a future leader for the whole of Europe, in a political sense, then for this we need a politician who feels more responsible for the EU as a whole and not only for France,” Tusk said.
Mr Tusk said Mr Macron was “a hope for the future of Europe” and a “true friend” but admitted having problems with his “very new ideas and opinions”.
He was unhappy with Mr Macron’s description of NATO as “brain dead” and also objected to Paris’s attempts to reach out to Russia despite its military campaign again Ukraine.
Mr Tusk said: “If we are not able to protect the Ukraine against Russian aggression it will not only be a problem for Ukraine but for Europe as a whole.
“My hope was that Emmanuel Macron would also be very consistent here.”
Mr Tusk was also critical of Mr Macron’s refusal to open talks with North Macedonia and Albania about their possible future membership of the EU.
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The French stance has caused despair in the region, particularly after North Macedonia’s prime minister Zoran Zaev faced down nationalists to end a long-running name dispute with Greece to pave the way for the talks.
Mr Tusk said: “I think it was just strategically and politically a huge mistake to say no after so many efforts and sacrifices, especially in Skopje.”
He said Europe would be less secure as a result of the decision, echoing arguments in the region that uncertainty about a European future risked triggering instability.
France is facing a second day of travel chaos, shuttered schools and understaffed hospitals as unions said they would be no let-up in strike action until Mr Macron backs down.
Much of the country ground to a halt yesterday as transport workers went on strike – joined by teachers, doctors, police, firemen and civil servants – while smoke and tear gas swirled through the streets of Paris as some protests turned violent, leading to dozens of arrests.
There have already been heavy cancellations of rush-hour trains into Paris today and 10 out of 16 metro lines remain closed while others run limited services.
Traffic jams are clogging the main roads in and around the capital as many commuters took to their cars to try to get to work.
Mr Macron wants to simplify France’s pension system which comprises more than 40 different plans.
Macron says the system is unfair and too costly and that the French will have to work longer, though he appears reluctant to simply raise the retirement age of 62.