French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Romania tonight to meet with the 500 French troops deployed in the country following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Macron will then visit Moldova and it is not ruled out that he will also go to Kyiv.
The purpose of this tour is “to support our troops who (…) mobilized within NATO to protect the eastern borders of the European Union and to prevent an extension of the war,” he explained shortly before leaving France.
This is Macron’s first visit to southeastern Europe since the February 24 invasion, which “sowed geopolitical and economic turmoil everywhere,” he said.
The long-awaited visit to Ukraine may take place later this week. According to German and Italian media, Macron is likely to travel to Ukraine with German Chancellor Olaf Solz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. This information is not confirmed by the Elysee Palace, which insists that “nothing is certain” at the moment.
Accompanied by new Foreign Ministers Catherine Colonna and Defense Minister Sebastian Lecorny, Macron arrived at Michail Kogalniceanu Air Base near Constanta, Romania’s largest port on the Black Sea, which has acquired a strategic post.
Like the Baltic states and Poland, “Romania is at the forefront,” according to Paris.
Macron will hold talks with Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca, other high-ranking officials and members of the French Eagle military mission deployed in the region “as part of strengthening NATO’s deterrent and defense force” in Eastern Europe. The French mission is expected to be strengthened by the end of the year, reaching 1,000 men, and will also acquire Leclerc tanks.
Tomorrow morning, Macron will meet with Romanian President Klaus Johannes, while at noon he will be in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, for talks with President Maya Santou. With the latter, he has developed a “relationship of trust” since he has received it three times at the Palais des Elysées since February 2021.
SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
Source: Capital
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