France may never hand over warships to Russia: Min.
Iran Press TV
Sat Dec 13, 2014 2:32PM GMT
The French defense minister says Paris may never hand over the two Russian-ordered warships to Moscow amid Western tensions with Russia over Ukraine's conflict.
The delivery of the warships may never take place if Moscow does not alter its stance on Ukraine's crisis, said Jean-Yves Le Drian in a TV interview on Friday, adding, "The Russians must realize this."
This is while France has a commitment to deliver the vessels under a contract with Russia.
Earlier in November, the French government suspended the military transaction with Russia over Moscow's alleged role in Ukraine.
The first warship, the Vladivostok, and the second, the Sevastopol, were due to be handed over to Moscow in November 2014 and next year, respectively.
The West accuses Moscow of supporting pro-Russia forces in east Ukraine, saying the Russian intervention poses a security threat to Ukraine and all other neighboring states. Russia has strongly denied the allegations.
The two mainly Russian-speaking regions of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine have been the scene of deadly clashes between pro-Russia protesters and the Ukrainian army since Kiev's military operation started in mid-April in a bid to crush the protests.
Violence intensified in May after the two flashpoint regions held local referendums in which their residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence from Ukraine and joining the Russian Federation.
FNR/HJL/SS
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