“We remember the May 9 ceremony on Red Square and I think that the heroes of Normandie-Niemen are rolling in their graves after this vote,” he added.
“The Mistrals are good ships and I would prefer to see Russian sailors drinking champagne there and not, say, Saudis, even though I have nothing against the Saudis,” Nicolas Duic said.
On Thursday French MPs backed a multi-million-dollar agreement with Russia over the axed sale of two warships.
Under the deal, France will reimburse some €949.7 million to Russia over the termination of a €1.2-billion contract for the sale of two French Mistral helicopter carriers.
The National Assembly – France's lower house – adopted the measure by 13 votes to 8, rubber-stamping an agreement signed on August 5 between France and Russia after eight months of intense negotiations.
France will have full ownership and free disposal of the Russian equipment already installed on the ships.
The contract between Russia and France to deliver two Mistral helicopter carriers was signed between the French company DCNS and Russia's Rosoboronexport in 2011.
