You're reading: France sees no chance so far to deliver Mistral ships to Russia

St. Petersburg - French Ambassador to Moscow Jean-Maurice Ripert has said that Paris sees no opportunities at the moment to deliver the Mistral-type helicopter carriers to Russia in the absence of a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis.

“In today’s conditions of the crisis in Ukraine, there are no sufficient signs of reconciliation in order to make the Mistral delivery possible. But the contract has been neither suspended nor severed. The delivery has simply been postponed. And we will make this decision as steps are resumed to restore peace to Ukraine and the points of the Minsk protocol are implemented,” Ripert told reporters in St. Petersburg on Oct. 10.

Among conditions for transferring the Mistral-type ships to Russia, the French ambassador mentioned a lasting ceasefire, effective control over the Russian-Ukrainian border, as well as the launch of a political dialogue ‘aimed at determining Ukraine’s future constitution, which would guarantee the rights of southeastern Ukraine.’

“Issues concerning the delivery of these ships will be reviewed as soon as these conditions are fulfilled,” he added.