War in Ukraine: France to deploy 500 soldiers to Romania – The HuffPost

RFI screenshot

UKRAINE – France will deploy 500 soldiers in Romania within theNATO following the invasion of theUkraine neighbor by the Russiaannounced this Friday, February 25 in the evening the Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces, General Thierry Burkhard.

“NATO has decided to strengthen its presence, to send a very clear sign of strategic solidarity, to position forces in Romania”, General Burkhard said in an interview with Radio France Internationale and France 24.

France “volunteered (…) to ensure the role of framework nation, that is to say of leading country, to deploy a battalion in Romania soon,” he added.

“We are going to deploy around 500 men, with armored vehicles, combat vehicles, to provide support to Romania, but also to convey the message of strategic solidarity from all NATO members”, specified the chief of staff.

Extension of the military presence in Estonia

In addition, the French military presence within NATO in Estonia, a country bordering Russia, will be extended beyond the relief planned for March, indicated the Chief of Staff.

“In view of the situation NATO is experiencing today, and the crisis situation and the war situation in Ukraine, it was decided to maintain our system,” explained General Burkhard.

“We are going to maintain a company, around 200 to 250 soldiers, with armored vehicles, it will be a company of alpine hunters, accustomed, equipped, seasoned to fight in the middle of extreme cold”, he said, also mentioning the deployment of “four fighters, Mirage 2000″.

It is a question of “sending a very, very clear signal of strategic solidarity vis-à-vis Estonia, but also a real signal of firmness and without ambiguity vis-à-vis Russia”, he said. He underlines.

After the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, NATO deployed multinational battle groups in the three Baltic States and Poland, for a permanent mission of “Enhanced Forward Presence” (EFP), assumed by several member countries.

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