EU's new chief hails under-pressure NATO as 'outstanding' shield The EU's incoming chief Ursula von der Leyen hails the transatlantic alliance NATO as an "outstanding" shield, following sharp criticism from French President Emmanuel Macron. Without referring to Macron's attack that the body was experiencing "brain death", von der Leyen said the 70-year-old NATO was "the strongest defence alliance in the world". SOUNDBITES