Keyword: Russia

French president upbeat about prospects for sale of two warships after deal with Russia was formally ended.

Despite claims in Moscow, French president François Hollande insists there is 'no deal yet' with Russia over non-delivery of Mistral ships.

Senior Kremlin official says 'everything has been decided' over how much France will pay Russia for non-delivery of two Mistral warships.

Parents challenge laws in France that in effect deny citizenship to surrogate children, whom one lawyer calls the 'ghosts of the Republic'.

The Russian compensation claim for the French-built helicopter carriers, blocked over Ukraine crisis, is well below France's offer of 785m euros.

Rare visit to Shanghai by French navy Mistral-class helicopter carrier prompts conjecture over deal on undelivered sister ships built for Russia.

The former EDF chief, now advisor to Russian national nuclear corporation Rosatom, was pushed to withdraw bid by French economy minister.

Delivery of first helicopter carrier was due last year but deal was put on hold after Russia’s role in Ukraine crisis led to EU sanctions.

The Russian leader said he sought only to recover outlay on the French-built warships, a 1.2-billion-euro deal suspended over the Ukraine crisis.

Ruling by Cour de Cassation paves way for Mukhtar Ablyazov to be sent to Russia or Ukraine over claims he embezzled €6bn from BTA Bank.

Mediapart recently revealed how earlier this year Marine Le Pen's far-right Front National party obtained a loan of 9 million euros from a Russian bank. The man who helped broker the deal was French far-right MEP Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, who has confirmed that he received 140,000 euros for his consultancy work. Questions have now been raised in the European Parliament about whether Schaffhauser has officially declared either the income or his extra-curricular activities, with the parliament’s president Martin Schultz promising to investigate the issue. More broadly, reports Ludovic Lamant, there is growing unease in Brussels and Strasbourg about what are feared to be concerted efforts by Russia to buy influence in a number of European political parties.

Jean-Yves Le Drian's comments came days after President Hollande said France would postpone handover of first ship because of Ukraine crisis.

France’s far-right Front National party has sought a loan of 40 million euros from Russian contacts, according to information obtained by Mediapart. After the party’s leader Marine Le Pen last weekend confirmed it had been lent 9 million euros from a Moscow bank, a senior party official has told Mediapart that this was a “first instalment” and that another 31 million euros “will follow”, a claim refuted by Le Pen. Meanwhile, Russian media reports have speculated that the Russian bank deal could not have been reached without approval by the Kremlin. Marine Turchi reports.

© DR

France’s far-right Front National party has obtained a loan of 9 million euros from a Russian bank. The loan, from the First Czech Russian Bank, was obtained after lengthy lobbying of the Russian authorities by party leader Marine Le Pen and other party officers who have been welcomed in Moscow by senior politicians close to President Vladimir Putin. Marine Turchi reports on the development of the surprisingly close relations knotted between the Front National and Russia's leading officials before the loan was agreed, the precise origins of which remain unclear.

Media reports said the sailors were blocked from training on the helicopter carrier in Saint-Nazaire amid a diplomatic row over its delivery.