France to supply one Mistral warship to Russia, reconsiders second one

The French government will fulfill its contract obligations in completing the construction of a Mistral amphibious warship and providing it to the Russian government, which has paid for it, said President Francois Hollande, as reported by Agence France-Presse on July 22. Otherwise, a fine of EUR 1.1 bln could be imposed for failure to full the contract, he said. “The agreement was signed in 2011, the ship is almost ready and will be transferred in October,” Hollande said. The building and delivery of a second ship will depend upon forthcoming EU sanctions on Russia and “only future supplies of hardware,” he said. “That hasn’t happened so far,” Hollande said. “We’ll see whether Russia behaves itself poorly,” he said.

The Austrian, German and U.S. governments have urged France to decline supplying Russia with the Mistral warships. The Austrian government proposed a trade embargo on Russia in February, said Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz. “That proposal didn’t find the support of the majority then,” he said. “Today I have the feelings that more foreign ministers support it.”

Zenon Zawada: The sale of the Mistrals has become the litmus test for the West’s resolve in dealing with Russian military aggression. Hollande is quite cynically offering a political solution by affirming the sale of one and hinting at the possible sacrifice of another. If that happens, the Russian government will only be encouraged in its military expansionism, the consequences of which could grow worse in years to come. Ukraine will be more vulnerable geopolitically amid ongoing appeasement from the West.