Dear Balts and Friends,
The delivery of the two warships to Russia will present serious danger and instability to Russia’s maritime neighbors along the Baltic and Black seas, including, of course, the Baltic counties.
The two French warships will give Russia a significant and unprecedented offensive capability in the region, with Russian forces gaining superior strength in terms of speed and range. Advantages that NATO forces will have difficulty to match.
It will also provide the Russians a terrific opportunity to harass, terrify and bully its maritime neighbors and thus to interfere in their domestic affairs.
By proceeding with the delivery, France is turning a blind eye to Russia’s 2008 invasion of Georgia, and recent occupation of Crimea, and the continuous conflict in Ukraine. In fact, French politicians have taken a flippant attitude to the delivery.
The Mistral aircraft carriers can carry 16 helicopters and have a flight deck for six helicopters and eight assault transport helicopters. The ships carry four landing crafts, 70 armored vehicles and up to 500 troops. Each ship is equipped with advanced communications. The Russian Admiral Vysotsky said that Russia would have won the war against Georgia in 2008 in “40 minutes instead in 26 hours” if it had these ships back then.
IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A NATO MEMBER TO OFFER SUPPORT TO THE RUSSIAN MILITARY AT A TIME THAT MOSCOW IS ACTIVELY ATTEMPTING TO DISMEMBER UKRAINE, A SOVEREIGN NATION, AND UNDERMINE THE SECURITY OF THE BALTIC COUNTRIES.
The United States government must make it clear that it views any support to the Russian military as completely unacceptable in light of Russian aggression.
WE ASK YOU TO CALL PRESIDENT OBAMA TO URGE HIM TO REQUEST FRANCE TO CANCEL THE DELIVERY OF THE WARSHIPS TO RUSSIA, RECALL OUR AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE BACK HOME FOR CONSULTATIONS, AND URGE OTHER NATO COUNTRIES TO DO THE SAME.
Please call the President immediately, as he is leaving for France in a few of days.
The White House telephone number for comments and messages is (202) 456-1111. Calls are accepted M-F from 9 AM to 5 PM, Washington time. THANK YOU.
Valdis Pavlovskis
Director
