Did Putin and Hollande Manage to Reach Agreement?

• 04.25.2015, 13:31
•  Europe,  EEU,  World,  Armenia

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President François Hollande in Armenia was held in “a constructive atmosphere,” Sputnik News reports.

Putin and Hollande met on Friday during a visit to Yerevan to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

"The meeting with President Hollande was relatively lengthy and comprehensive. It was held in a very constructive and pragmatic rhythm.  The deficit of this spirit is felt sharply in our current relations with the European countries," Peskov told reporters in Moscow.

The main  topic of the discussion was the transfer of French Mistral helicopters to Russia, however the sides did not mange to reach a final agreement. The president of France Holland summarized the results of  meeting noting:

“What refers to issue of Mistral then I have presented to paths to go on: either Mistral helicopters will be transferred, however today we are not going to take such a decision, or the compensation will be given to the amount that we will agree on. At present there is agreement reached.”

Russia and France signed a $1.5-billion according to which France was to transfer two Mistral-class helicopter carriers to Russia  in June 2011. The handover of the first ship was scheduled for November 2014, but never happened. France has frozen the Mistral deal as a result of Ukrainian Crisis.