UPDATE 1-France's Macron says NATO "brain death" remarks were a wake-up call

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said his remarks that NATO is "brain dead" had served as a useful wake-up call to alliance members.

Macron's blunt verdict ahead of a Dec. 4 summit in Britain drew strong reaction from European peers who believe Europe needs still to rely heavily on the NATO alliance for its defense. "The questions I have asked are open questions, that we haven't solved yet," Macron said at a joint news conference with NATO's secretary general.

"Peace in Europe, the post-INF (Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty) situation, the relationship with Russia, the Turkey issue, who's the enemy? So I say: as long as these questions are not resolved, let's not negotiate about cost-sharing and burden-sharing, or this or the other." "So we maybe needed a wake-up call. I'm glad it was delivered, and I'm glad everyone now thinks we should rather think about our strategic goals," Macron said.