The President's comments come ahead of the Government's Consultative Forum on International Security.
The President says Ireland is "playing with fire" during a dangerous period of "drift" in foreign policy towards NATO.
In an interview with the Business Post, Michael D Higgins has warned about moving away from Ireland's traditional policy of "positive neutrality".
His comments come ahead of the Government's Consultative Forum on International Security, which meets next week in Cork, Galway, and in Dublin.
The President says the country is 'burying itself in other people's agendas' - and has also questioned the timing of more investment in the Defence Forces ahead of reform.