Macron: NATO troops in Romania are a “powerful deterrent”

By STEPHEN McGRATH
Associated Press

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Romania to hold bilateral talks and meet with French troops stationed there who are part of NATO’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Macron’s visit in Romania, a European Union member since 2007 and a NATO member since 2004, marked the beginning of a regional tour. On Wednesday, he will talk with Romania’s president and later visit non-NATO Moldova. Both countries share long borders with embattled Ukraine. Macron is expected to address the consequences of the war in Ukraine, from the surge of Ukrainian refugees to the spike in energy prices to the disruptions to the world’s grain markets.