PARIS, November 26. /TASS/. The French side should keep its word and hand over Mistral helicopter carrier to Russia under the contract, former French president Nicolas Sarkozy said in an interview with the French Figaro newspaper.

Sarkozy expressed surprise that amid the current threat of radical Islam the world community is creating conditions for a new cold war with Russia. France's former president said it's necessary to negotiate with Russia and arrive at a compromise.

On Tuesday French President Francois Hollande said the current situation in Ukraine does not allow Paris to hand over the first Mistral helicopter carrier to Russia.

Russian deputy defense minister Yuri Borisov told TASS on Tuesday Russia will be acting strictly in line with the contract and file a lawsuit if the ship is not delivered.

“Russia will be acting in compliance with the contract. If they don’t deliver it, we will sue them and demand that penalties are paid. Russia’s behavior is strictly in line with the contract which has been signed,” he said.

Under a €1.2 billion contract, the first Mistral was scheduled to be handed over to Russia on November 14, but the French leadership has put the delivery on hold. The French president has repeatedly said that the key condition for the transfer is “full compliance” with the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine.