EU entertains idea to buy out Mistral warships from France

The suggestion is envisaged in a draft resolution which was prepared by the right-wing European People’s Party and which will be put to a vote on Thursday.

Landsbergis told BNS on Tuesday that it was him who initiated the inclusion of the proposal on Mistral into the resolution.

“The text of the resolution has been finalized in the political group, with a green light to the compensation mechanism,” Landsbergis said in a telephone interview from Strasbourg.

Under the draft, “should the need arise to cancel the contract, member-states [are encouraged] to consider compensatory measures and modalities of engaging the Mistral ships in EU related missions instead, in order to alleviate the financial losses for France of more than 1.2 billion euros”.

The European Parliament‘s resolutions are advisory only, so all decisions will still have to be made by the French government.

Related Post

In Landsbergis’ words, there have been discussions that the warships could be sent to the EU’s external border management agency Frontex mission in the Mediterranean Sea.

“Should we buy out the Mistrals, they would be used for EU needs, a version that may be discussed is to use them for border protection in the Mediterranean Sea, which is relevant for Greece, Spain, Italy and other southern countries,” Landsbergis said.

Lithuania and other Eastern European nations have criticized France’s plans to hand over two Mistral warships to Russia, saying the move could jeopardize their national security.

French President Francois Hollande has pledged to announce the decision later this fall. In his words, further steps will depend on the situation in Ukraine. The West has accused Moscow of supporting pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Share

Recent Posts

  • Latest

Message from the President’s Office to Paluckas on Žemaitaitis

While Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas does not take issue with the statements made by the…

1 month ago
  • Economy

Surprised by what’s happening in Lithuania: this is what makes us stand out in the EU

Lithuanian economists are surprised to see our country's economic growth: the Estonian economy has been…

1 month ago
  • Politics

Will the coalition shut the door on Žemaitaitis?

"The fate of Nemuno Aušra (Dawn of Nemunas) in the coalition has been decided; they…

1 month ago
  • Tribune

Airvolve has begun the patenting process for an exclusive aircraft

Airvolve, a Lithuanian dual-purpose aeronautics company, has successfully completed its first round of testing and…

2 months ago
  • Latest

Bruveris. The world in 2025: a continuation of last year’s collapses towards new fires

The world is becoming smaller, more intertwined, and increasingly fragmented, with many of the previous…

2 months ago
  • Tribune

Why Fine Dining Is Gaining Popularity in Vilnius?

In recent years, Vilnius, the vibrant capital of Lithuania, has experienced a culinary renaissance. While…

2 months ago