French president faces angry backlash from Europeans over Nato ‘brain-dead’ comments

Emmanuel Macron took the salute at the annual Armistice commemoration in Paris yesterday and looked forward to three hectic days of diplomacy as world leaders gather in the city for the president’s signature Peace Forum.

The backdrop to the summit was as overcast as the incessant rain over Paris after Mr Macron found himself at odds with the rest of Europe, having jibed that Nato was brain-dead.

Framed by aides as an effort to inject new purpose into the 29-member alliance, Mr Macron’s intervention has invited pushback, led by the Germans and Poles, against the appearance of division. Russia called the remarks “golden”.

The French president has sought to reinvigorate the country’s global role with the Paris Forum, which in its second year has attracted more than 6,000 delegates to discuss the biggest issues facing diplomats.

The Forum got under way yesterday with discussions between Mr Macron and Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General. Visiting heads of state and government ministers will discuss the implications of technological innovation, cyber security, environmental challenges and cultural dialogue.

A panel today will feature Noura Al Kaabi, the Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development.

The scope of the discussion testifies to the broad sweep of Mr Macron’s foreign policy vision. But the president has come under fire for his handling of long-standing alliances when strengthening European defence is vital since the US has shifted to “America First”.

Having said that the US under President Donald Trump was “turning its back” on Europe, Mr Macron said he did not know if the Article 5 mutual defence clause of the Nato treaty could be relied on in future.

Mr Macron also pointed to the recent shock to the system from Turkey’s offensive in Syria. This action exposed the complete lack of co-ordination between the US and its allies. “None,” he said. “You have an unco-ordinated, aggressive action by another Nato ally, Turkey, in an area where our interests are at stake. There has been no Nato planning, nor any co-ordination. There hasn’t even been any Nato deconfliction [between allies].”

Amid the fallout from the remarks, Warsaw asked Paris to renew its security commitments to its European allies, for whom Nato is the primary guarantor of security.

“President Macron is in a different position because he does not feel the hot breath of the Russian bear on his neck,” said Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish prime minister.

The comments dominated yesterday’s meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels. Ministers lined up to emphasise that Nato was indispensable and the main place for security co-operation in Europe.

“The more [Mr Macron] presents this vision as a substitute rather than as being complementary to Nato, the less he is likely to persuade countries such as Poland or Romania – to name but a few – to go along with his plans,” wrote Jonathan Eyal, director of the Royal United Services Institute think tank in London.

Francois Heisbourg, a former French official, said Mr Macron was speaking into a vacuum, setting out an analysis that would be more appropriate from strategic studies experts.

“Macron is speaking like a policy-detached think tanker. That is bizarre and dangerous, given the very real risks attached to any suggestion that Article 5 may not be operative,” he said.