Given the Kremlin’s ambiguous behavior – if not its deliberate policy of deceit – it seems obvious that France should not deliver a Mistral-class assault warship, which it previously agreed to sell to Russia. It is far better for France to be perceived as an unreliable arms dealer than as an irresponsible strategic actor, caring only about its mercantile interests.
由于克里姆林宫行为暧昧——如果不是故意采取欺骗政策的话——显然法国不应该交付此前答应卖给俄罗斯的西北风级两栖攻击舰。对法国来说，让人们觉得它是不可靠的军火贸易上远比让人们觉得它是靠不住的战略行动者、只考虑自己的商业利益更好。