“Taking into account the introduction of useless sanctions, as well as Russia’s embargo against our producers, Francois Hollande definitely hurts France”, Morano said on her Facebook page on Friday.

The fate of the two Mistral helicopter-carriers has plagued France-Russia ties for more than a year, following the decision by Paris to put the €1.2bn (£840m) deal on ice after the west imposed sanctions on Moscow over its takeover of Crimea and alleged backing for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.

“The talks are already over, everything is already decided – both the timeframe and the sums”, Vladimir Kozhin, an adviser to President Vladimir Putin on military matters, told RIA news agency late on Thursday.

I hope that the agreement concerning the cancellation of the contract will be signed in the nearest future.

A French source close to the situation told AFP Friday that an agreement had indeed been reached but that some details still “needed to be finalised”.

Russian Federation and France signed a 1.2-billion euros ($1.32 billion at current exchange rate) contract for the purchase of two Mistral-class helicopter carriers in 2011. Then Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart François Hollande will make an official announcement. The second ship was due for delivery this year.

The exact amount of the compensation has been agreed upon during the talks between Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and French Defense Secretary-General Louis Gautier, the daily added.

The following month US President Barack Obama said that it would be “preferable to press the pause button” on the deal.