France is looking for a pretext to deliver Mistrals to Russia

The majority of French people (64 percent of respondents) supported the transfer of Mistrals to Russia; 75 percent of respondents believe that France's refusal to deliver the ships to Russia will not in any way influence on the situation in Ukraine, La Tribune writes. In the opinion of 56 percent of respondents to the survey, the default on the obligation will adversely affect the reputation of this European state.

Vladimir Olenchenko, a senior staff scientist of the European Research Centre of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, made comments on this data for Pravda.Ru.

"As I understand, the French government inclines to deliver the Mistrals. But there is such a notion as a block discipline and, of course, France needs a pretext to bypass the sanctions regime, at least once. I suppose addressing people is a clever move that will give to the French government a cogent argumentation to put a question about a one-shot disregard of sanctions,"  Vladimir Olenchenko said in a conversation with a Pravda.Ru correspondent.

According to the expert, they will now have to notify the government of the European Union and, at the G7 summit, other countries that are included or participate in sanctions. "If I were in Hollande's shoes, I would say that we respect our mutual opinion and it's yet early to lift sanctions, but the population of our country speaks for the transfer of Mistrals and we believe it is possible," Vladimir Olenchenko said.

The opinion that the helicopter carriers must be delivered, as the expert emphasized in the conversation with the Pravda.Ru journalist, is not only caused by sympathy or antipathy or any other pretentious considerations.

"The point is that the manufacturing of Mistrals gives jobs and earnings to a part of the population, the economic status of France is far from being regarded as very good, and prospects are not very good either. If you review statistics about the development of the European Union's economy, it is not encouraging for France. That is why I regard it as a clever political ploy with particular actions to follow," Vladimir Olenchenko explained.

Pravda.Ru 

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Translation provided by TNC Freelancer Group