Aviation Week
Russia's Missing Mistrals
Amy Svitak
Tue, 2014-12-09 07:32
Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Francois Holland met Saturday at an airport near Moscow to discuss continued fighting in eastern Ukraine, but Putin told Russian media that Hollande's suspension of a contract for two French Mistral-class helicopter carriers did not come up during talks.
“We did not talk about Mistrals, even did not mention them,” Putin told Russian news agency TASS, adding that he is hopeful the €1.12 billion contract will be fulfilled.
Signed in June 2011, the deal called for the first amphibious assault ship to be delivered in late October of this year. But in September Hollande suspended the deal, asserting Russia must meet two conditions before the delivery can proceed: respect for a sustained ceasefire between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces and a lasting political solution to the crisis.
Since then, Hollande has said neither of the conditions have been met, and in a Nov. 25 communique, the Elysee said delivery of the ships has been indefinitely postponed.
More recently, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in an interview that Russia should realize that France “may never deliver” the ships.
In response, Moscow has said it will accept either delivery of the ships or financial compensation.
"Both -- the warships or money -- will suit us," presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters Dec. 8.
