French President Emmanuel Macron took a tougher stance on Russia in comments made during a visit to troops at a NATO base in Romania on Wednesday, France 24 wrote.

Macron, it noted, "voiced a tougher stance on Russia" after visiting French and allied troops at a NATO base in Romania, "trying to allay fears in Ukraine and among some European allies about what has been perceived as an ambiguous position on Moscow."

"We will do everything to stop Russia's military forces, to help the Ukrainians and their troops and to continue negotiations," he told French and NATO troops at the military base in Romania.

Macron arrived in Romania on Tuesday for a three-day trip to NATO's southern flank as well as Moldova before possibly heading to Kyiv on Thursday for a visit with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, two diplomatic sources said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said it is crucial that ossia not be humiliated so that when the fighting in Ukraine stops, a diplomatic solution can be found, adding that he believes Paris will play a mediating role in ending the war.

This comes as dozens of defense ministers from NATO and other countries around the world gather in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss arms shipments to Ukraine, as Kiev calls for a significant increase in weapons to help contain Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.

The meeting is being held on the sidelines of a meeting of NATO defense ministers led by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. This is the third time a group of nearly 50 countries has met to discuss and coordinate assistance to Ukraine. A preliminary meeting was held at Ramstein Air Base in April.