Russia has reportedly threatened to take legal action against the French government for refusing to hand over a helicopter carrier that Moscow had ordered.
According to Sky News, the country's deputy minister of defence, Yuri Borisov, threatened to sue France unless a political settlement was reached following the decision by French president Francois Hollande to indefinitely delay the delivery.
Burisov said that everything was laid down in contract and that the country will act in accordance with the letter of the contract as all civilized people.
France had been under constant pressure from UN Security Council and European allies to cancel the 1.2 billion euros deal in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The West has imposed tough economic sanctions on Moscow following its actions in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, a statement from the French president's office said the situation in the east of Ukraine did not permit the delivery of the first BPC (helicopter carrying and command vessel).
It further read that the President had decided that it was appropriate to suspend, until further notice, examination of the request for the necessary authorisation to export the first BCP to the Russian Federation.