William Molinié, edited by Gauthier Delomez 06:14, June 22, 2022

Emmanuel Macron received Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, at the Elysee Palace on Tuesday, a few days before a summit announced as crucial next week, in the context of the war in Ukraine.

The Alliance expects France to deploy even more resources, both in terms of volume and capabilities.

DECRYPTION

The challenge is to show the Russians that if they cross the red line in Ukraine or in an Alliance country, NATO would be able to react immediately.

France is the framework nation in Romania where it has moved from a logic of reassurance to a posture of deterrence.

In other words, it's time for a show of force.

Leclerc tanks soon to be deployed in Romania

President Emmanuel Macron received NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Élysée Palace on Tuesday, ahead of a crucial summit next week.

The Alliance expects France to deploy even more resources, both in terms of volume and capabilities.

The "spearhead" battalion led by the French soldiers in Romania will increase from 800 to a thousand men.

>> READ ALSO

- War in Ukraine: what to remember from Emmanuel Macron's visit to Kiev

Leclerc tanks, the flagship of the Army's tracked combat vehicles, will soon be deployed on this NATO outpost in South-Eastern Europe.

"It will undoubtedly be a handful of units", specifies a specialist in the file to Europe 1. "But, it is the signal sent to the Russians which is important", continues this source.

NATO wants France to deploy anti-ship missile batteries

The message is in particular the role of the latest generation French ground-to-air defense system, the Mamba, which is already in the area.

These are eight supersonic missiles with a range of a hundred kilometers.

Two launchers are already operational and capable of neutralizing any aircraft, ballistic missile or drone, up to 20,000m altitude.

According to information from Europe 1, NATO also wants France to deploy anti-ship missile batteries in the region.

Because in the Black Sea, the Russians are saturating the last kilometers of coast controlled by the Ukrainians.

Ultimate strategic access to the Mediterranean to be able to export the grains of wheat and corn blocked at this time in the depots of the port of Odessa.