Lavrov: Russia is satisfied with how the situation with Mistral ships was settled

Russia is satisfied with how the situation with Mistral amphibious assault ships was settled. France terminated the contract on the delivery of the ships this August,  Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the Venezuelan state television.

“As far as we are concerned, the issue is closed. France referred to the Ukrainian crisis and used it as an excuse to withdraw from its contractual obligations. It was bizarre but, at any rate, it was France’s decision. We said we would not try to talk France out of it. We asked for a refund and received all the money back – both what we actually paid our French counterparts and a compensation for what we spent on building some parts of these helicopter carriers at our dockyards, and on training our personnel. So we are satisfied with how everything worked out,” Lavrov said.

In his words, Russia doesn’t have any hard feelings or disappointments. “We received good compensation, and it has come in handy in the present climate. I don’t know why it happened and what our French counterparts’ relationship was with any of the countries that insisted on terminating any military cooperation with Russia, without any clear arguments,” the minister said.

As EADaily reported earlier, the contract on delivery of two Mistral amphibious assault ships was signed between French DCNS/STX and Russian Rosoboronexport in 2011. France was to deliver the first ship “Vladivostok” on 14 November 2014. However, Paris withdrew from its contractual obligations referring to the Ukrainian crisis. U.S. opposed the deal insisting on termination of any military cooperation with Russia.  France recompensed Russia for the unfulfilled agreements about 950 million EUR. The French authorities decided to sell Mistrals to Egypt.