March 5, 2021
France will deploy some 300 troops to Estonia in a rotation within the multinational NATO contingent stationed at the Tapa Army Base for one year, the French embassy in Tallinn said on Friday.
The French contingent served two eight-month missions in Estonia in 2017 and 2019. For this mission, Paris will double the number of Leclerc tanks to 12 vehicles, the embassy said.
“The extension of the mission and the doubling of the number of tanks demonstrates France’s desire to get involved in the protection of its close Allies. The presence of French soldiers in Estonia is all the more meaningful as we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our countries,” French Ambassador to Estonia Eric Lamouroux was quoted as saying.