France said Thursday that it would not deliver either of the warships Russia has ordered because its conditions had not yet been met.
Russia ordered two Mistral class amphibious warfare ships in 2010. The first was due to be delivered this year, but President Francois Hollande said it would not happen because of Russia’s involvement in the civil war in Ukraine, Reuters reports.
“The conditions today are not met to deliver the Mistral,” French Finance Minister Michel Sapin told RTL radio. “What are these conditions? It is that in Ukraine we are in a situation that is becoming more normal, that allows for things to cool down.”
On Wednesday, Russian news agency RIA quoted Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin as saying that Russia had been invited to take delivery of the first ship on Nov. 14. He also said the second ship would be floated on the same day.
[Reuters]
Read next: Russians Re-write History to Slur Ukraine Over War
More Must-Reads from TIME
- How Kamala Harris Knocked Donald Trump Off Course
- Introducing TIME's 2024 Latino Leaders
- George Lopez Is Transforming Narratives With Comedy
- How to Make an Argument That’s Actually Persuasive
- What Makes a Friendship Last Forever?
- 33 True Crime Documentaries That Shaped the Genre
- Why Gut Health Issues Are More Common in Women
- The 100 Most Influential People in AI 2024
Contact us at letters@time.com