France cannot continue to pretend that everything is fine with NATO, said Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.
He supported the position of President Emanuel Macron, who stated that NATO was suffering a “brain death”, which provoked a negative reaction from leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and senior officials in eastern Europe, Bloomberg reported.
Macron said that world powers should not be lazy in their attempts to revise global institutions.
Recent statements by the French president reflect his desire for a more independent foreign policy in Europe, which is less dependent on the US or NATO.
He also expressed concern about the recent military operation of a Turkish NATO member against Kurdish militants in Syria. Macron said in Brussels that NATO made a serious mistake regarding Turkey’s behavior in relation to Syria.
But NATO’s public criticism also raised the question of whether it could ultimately undermine the Alliance. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told the Financial Times that Macron’s actions were dangerous, calling NATO the most important alliance in the world when it comes to preserving freedom and peace.
Asked to comment on France’s future commitment to NATO, Philippe spoke about the deployment of French troops in operations both within and outside the organization’s competence.
He referred to other European countries that sometimes speak very loudly of their attachment to the American umbrella, but their presence is insignificant when it comes to direct intervention.
French defense secretary Florence Parly said in parliament that there are serious doubts regarding the US security guarantee under article 5, which deals with the principle of collective defense.
Without specifying specific countries, the French PM said that there are problems in NATO. There are quite controversial relations between NATO countries, he said adding that they can all pretend that the alliance is doing amazingly well.
