France hopes to secure lucrative arms deals in Romania after deploying a squadron of Leclerc tanks and an air defence system as part of NATO's eastern flank defensive positioning, French diplomatic sources told Reuters ahead of a visit to Romania of the head of the diplomacy in Paris, Catherine Colonna.

"We have had a strong strategic relationship with Romania for 15 years," diplomatic sources in Paris told Reuters before the visit. "But the reality is that (...) this partnership is even stronger" since President Emmanuel Macron decided to send the Leclerc tank squadron and deploy the Mamba air defence system, French diplomats added.

"We want to make this happen through cooperation on industrial projects that are very promising," the same source said.

In particular, France hopes to reach an agreement on the sale of four Gowind corvettes, which would improve the safety of navigation in the Black Sea, an area at the epicentre of the war between Russia and Ukraine. The contract, with an estimated value of EUR 1.2 billion, has been disputed since it was awarded to Naval Group, in 2019, due to the costs of production materials, writes Reuters.

andrei@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Alexander Filon | Dreamstime.com)