PARIS - French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius confirmed on TV channel TF1 that France will fulfill its contractual obligations with Russia for the delivery of Mistral warships.
"This contract was signed during the previous government in 2011. According to international laws, a signed and prepaid contract has to be fulfilled," Fabius said.
In March, Fabius said that Paris would consider canceling the delivery of two Mistral-class warships to the Russian navy if Moscow provokes further escalation in Ukraine.
The United States has criticized France for its decision. In fact, the U.S. and other EU countries have tried to convince France to cancel the deal. U.S. lawmakers have urged Paris to lease or sell the high-tech warships to another NATO member instead of Russia. According to U.S. deputy State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf, the delivery of warships to Russia is "completely inappropriate" in light of the recent events between Russia and Ukraine.
In June 2011, Russia and France signed a EUR1.2 billion ($1.6 billion) contract for the purchase of two Mistral-class amphibious helicopter carriers. The first ship is scheduled for delivery to the Russian Navy in November 2014 followed by the second in November 2015.