Putin upbeat about Russian-French arms trade

MOSCOW. Jan 21 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was upbeat about the prospects for Russian-French arms trade.

"There are a number of forward-looking projects, including the creation of a heavy helicopter based on the MI-26 Halo, which Russia already produces," Putin said in the Kremlin, where he hosted a meeting between the Russian and French defense and foreign ministers.

The ministers earlier held a meeting of the Russian-French security cooperation council in Moscow.