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A former French prime minister and a previous British head of Nato say that France and the UK have to overcome the risks of Brexit and urgently deepen their military alliance to hedge against the unpredictability of Donald Trump’s White House.

In a report from a taskforce led by Bernard Cazeneuve, France’s prime minister from 2016 to 2017, and George Robertson, a former Labour defence secretary and secretary general of Nato, it is claimed the two countries’ relationship has never been more fragile, The Guardian reported.

At a time when US foreign policy has never been more unpredictable, it is said to be vital to overcome the problems facing the alliance. The alliance was strengthened by a treaty in 2010 through the establishment of the joint expeditionary forces used in Libya but now, it is claimed, it needs updating and upgrading.

The US president, who is likely to be constrained with his domestic agenda following the US midterm elections in which Democrats gained control over the House of Representatives, is expected to turn to foreign policy to make a mark – an area in which he has already built a doubtful reputation.

The report calls for French and British intelligence agencies to work together on a greater scale, for military facilities to be shared, and for concessions to be made in the Brexit talks between the UK and Brussels to bring the two allies closer together.

Robertson said the proposals were not about building a European army, and he denied the recent suggestion that this was an aim of the French president, Emmanuel Macron. He said it was instead about “reinforcing the European pillar of Nato”.

He added: “This is a crucial alliance between the two major military powers in Europe but it is under pressure due to Brexit and it is has never been more valuable given what America is doing at the moment. It needs to be strengthened, improved and reinforced.”