Erdogan to Macron”Are you brain dead?”

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan stated that Emmanuel Macron’s notice that NATO was fading echoes a “weak and shallow” understanding, telling the French president “you should check whether you are brain dead”.

“I am talking to France’s President Emmanuel Macron and I will also say this at NATO. First of all, have your own brain-death checked,” Erdogan said.

Macron said in an interview three weeks ago there was a shortage of vital coordination between European associates on the one hand and the United States and Turkey, on the other. He has also criticised NATO’s failure to respond to what he called Turkey’s “insane” offensive into northern Syria.

Macron’s comments drew a sharp backlash from European peers who think Europe still necessitates to rely massively on NATO, but he said on Thursday his remarks had been a valuable wake-up call and he would not regret saying them.