German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron arrive for a family photo at the Park of the Cinquantenaire during the NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium July 11, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

BERLIN (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron used “drastic words” when he described NATO as experiencing a “brain death”, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday, saying that was not her view.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also rejected the characterisation during a joint news conference in Berlin.

“NATO remains a cornerstone of our security,” Merkel told reporters.