Internal battles in the military alliance hang over the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Brussels this Wednesday.
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NATO is under attack, but the alliance is fighting its toughest battles internally, with members turning on one another; many angered by Turkey's continuing incursion into Syria.
There are also fears about the future with US President Donald Trump insisting on yet more money, and French President Macron claiming the organisation is 'brain dead'.
All in all It’s left the General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg on the defensive:
"The strength of NATO is that despite of differences, we have always been able to unite our core task to protect and defend each other. And it is the responsability of all the allies to make sure that we do this also today because we live on a more unpredictable and uncertain world and in uncertain times that need strong multilateral institutions like NATO."
It’s message, echoed by the Americans to Euronews
"NATO is a very dynamic organisation, it is an organisation that has a transatlantic element/quality that no other organisation has. This uniqueness is invaluable," Vanessa Acker, USA State Department Spokesperson told our reporter.
NATO foreign ministers meet in Brussels Wednesday, ahead of next month's 70th birthday summit in London
Officially China, counter-terrorism and defence in space will be on the agenda.
But given the sharp, exposed divisions within the alliance - that birthday party could well end in a family fight.