French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday stood by his controversial remarks that NATO is "brain dead," saying that it was a useful wake-up call to alliance members, Eurasia Diary reports citing Deutsche Welle.
Macron's sharp criticism in early November has stirred debate in Washington and European capitals ahead of a December 4 NATO leaders' summit in London.
Speaking alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Paris, Macron pressed for more unity and coordination within the alliance, and the need for Europe to take on more security responsibility.
"The last two summits were devoted solely to working out how we could lighten ... the financial cost to the United States," Macron said, describing a "glaring disconnect" between this debate and the challenges facing the alliance.
The French leader has been critical of the United States after it abruptly pulled troops out of northeastern Syria, allowing NATO member Turkey to launch an incursion against the Kurdish YPG militia fighting against the "Islamic State" group. The US and Turkey did not coordinate their moves with NATO members.
Macron said that Turkey cannot expect solidarity from NATO allies while also launching an offensive in Syria as a "fiat accompli." The comments come as Turkey is reportedly resisting an alliance defense plan for the Baltics and Poland unless NATO provides Ankara more political and military support in its fight against the against Kurdish YPG militia in northern Syria.