France had come under increasing pressure over the sale to Russia
France is suspending the planned delivery of a warship to Russia, citing the 'current situation' in eastern Ukraine.
The office of French president Francois Hollande announced the suspension following growing speculation about the contract, which is the biggest arms sale ever by a Nato country to Russia.
The Vladivostok, the first of two Mistral-class helicopter carriers ordered by Russia, was due to be delivered as part of the 1.2 billion euro (£950 million) contract.
France has come under intense pressure from allies to suspend the sale because of tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
Press Association
Follow @Independent_ie Entities 0 Name: Russia Count: 4 1 Name: Ukraine Count: 2 2 Name: France Count: 2 3 Name: Vladivostok Count: 1 4 Name: Francois Hollande Count: 1 5 Name: Russia France Count: 1 6 Name: Press Association Follow Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1vI7Ikn Title: Could the world return to the 1980s? Description: You might think, if you listen to Vladimir Putin, or Sergei Lavrov his foreign minister, or to Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato secretary-general, that the world has suddenly shifted back in time to the early 1980s.