"Alliances correspond to a period's interests, and when they fall away, the issue of the organisation's relevance emerges. I think that NATO has been preoccupied with this issue for years. If we go back to 2002-2003, the beginning of the Iraq War, NATO was on the brink of imploding. NATO is extremely fractured and it has exacerbated since then", Kneissl said.
Former Austrian Foreign Minister Kneissl Believes NATO Becomes Increasingly Fractured
© AP Photo / Francisco Seco
She also commented on the remark of French President Emmanuel about NATO being "brain dead."
"I think, brain death is even worse than simple death. And this statement is worse than that of [US President Donald] Trump who claimed that NATO is obsolete", Kneissl noted.
Kneissl served as a top diplomat in the government of Sebastian Kurz from 2017-2019. She came under considerable media scrutiny when Russian President Vladimir Putin attended her wedding last year.
The former Austrian foreign minister is one of many prominent politicians and public figures interviewed by Sputnik to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Putin's leadership.