Croatian media: France, Germany race for NATO leadership

France and Germany competed for the European leadership in NATO on Wednesday in Brussels, during the Alliance's first foreign ministers' meeting, after French President Emmanuel Macron said the Alliance had suffered a “stroke”, Hina writes.

The Croatian agency recalls that a review of NATO's public nature is under way before the Alliance's London summit, which will take place in two weeks and mark the organisation's 70th anniversary.

The matter of credibility by President Donald Trump, Turkey's intervention in Syria, which has been criticised by many Alliance members, and US criticism from European members for distributing insufficient defence resources, are some of the problems facing NATO, the agency recalls.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass said at the meeting that Europe should not be separated from the US, and suggested that Secretary General Jens Stoltenbeg form an expert committee to discuss strategic issues.

Separated from the proposal, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian proposed the creation of a group of smart men “to discuss NATO's future, two diplomats told Reuters.

In an interview with British Economist on November 7th, Macron argued of a greater European defence integration so that he can respond more quickly to crises near European borders without NATO or the US.

Macron later warned of a lack of co-ordination between European allies on the one hand and the US and Turkey on the other.

“It is important that NATO's political arm be strengthened,” told reporters at a ministerial meeting.

Le Drian did not speak publicly, but some diplomats said they were looking to Paris to ask taboo questions, such as the quality of American leadership, taking into account the previous statement of Trump that NATO is outdated.

“Talk about what Europe's natural leader should be: Paris or Berlin, or maybe both, and in what direction NATO is heading,” said a high-ranking NATO diplomat.