PARIS — France will wait until next month to decide whether to deliver the first of two Mistral helicopter carriers to Russia, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Tuesday.
French President Francois Hollande had for months resisted pressure from Washington and other allies to scrap the 1.2 billion euro ($1.58 billion) contract before choosing last month to push back the original end-October delivery date.
He said then that he would only hand over the first carrier — the Vladivostok — if there was a lasting cease-fire and a political settlement in Ukraine.
"The president … said that if the political conditions did not change he did not envisage giving the authorization for delivery," Le Drian told reporters.
He declined to say whether the conditions had now been met, but said the president would make a decision "during November."
Western officials on Monday hailed Sunday's Ukraine election. Pro-Western parties are set to dominate parliament, handing President Petro Poroshenko a mandate to end a separatist conflict and to steer the country further away from Russia's orbit towards mainstream Europe.
But after months of conflict he still faces huge problems. Russia opposes his plans to join the European Union, a cease-fire is barely holding between government forces and pro-Russian separatists in the east, and the economy is in dire straits.
French officials are remaining tight-lipped over the fate of the Mistral contract, with Moscow warning that it will seek damages if it is canceled or suspended.
Russia's Mistral purchase would give it access to advanced technology, alarming some of France's NATO allies who consider Paris is blindly strengthening Moscow militarily.
With as many as 1,000 jobs at stake in France, there is immediate concern at home. But more worrying for Paris is what impact the cancellation of the contract would have on future defense export deals and on a defense industry that employs 40,000 people.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
