French Mistral warships are too expensive for any NATO state to buy, says NATO representative

When asked whether NATO member states’ resolve to increase defence spending came a little too late, taking into account Russia’s provocations and war in Ukraine, Appathurai said that “it is never too late to begin”.

However, it is absolutely unfair that the United States’ defence spending accounts for about 70 percent of all NATO member states’ defence budget, he says, adding that this proportion has been increasing over the last few years.

When asked whether NATO member states have had discussions about buying the French-made Mistral warships that were originally meant for Russia, Appathurai said that it was clear that the Kremlin had made it impossible for France to halt the delivery of the ships to Russia, but NATO is unable to purchase these ships because, as an alliance, it commands virtually no budget.