NATO Will Not Takeover Supply Of French Helicopter Carriers To Russia

NATO will not consider taking over the order for two Mistral helicopter carriers that France has committed to supply to Russia, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen saidMonday.

Rasmussen in a press conference said, “NATO has not considered taking over the order for two Mistral helicopter carriers that France is responsible for delivering to Russia"

“It has not been considered because the issue has not been raised. This is for the French government to make that decision. Should the French government raise such an issue, I’m sure allies would have a discussion on that. But I’m not going to predict the outcome of that discussion,” Rasmussen said.

In connection with the France’s standing on the delivery of the Mistral ships, it remains unchanged despite the rising tensions in Ukraine, the French Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said Monday.

French President Francois Hollande in an interview with Le Monde on August 20 said that the sanctions against Russia did not prevent the Mistral supplies.

Under the contract, Russia is to receive the first of the two warships, the Vladivostok, in October-November this year. The second Mistral-class helicopter carrier, the Sevastopol, is expected to be handed over to Russia by the end of the next year.