Russia has announced a proposal to France regarding French researcher Laurent Vinatier, imprisoned since June 2024 and facing up to 20 years in prison for espionage. President Emmanuel Macron is fully mobilized to secure his swift release, while his family hopes for a return during the holidays. The Kremlin states the ball is now in Paris's court.
Laurent Vinatier, a 49-year-old French researcher specializing in the post-Soviet space, was arrested on June 6, 2024, in Moscow. Employed by the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, a Swiss NGO focused on mediation in conflicts such as Ukraine, he was sentenced in October 2024 to three years in prison for failing to register as a 'foreign agent' after collecting military information. He admitted the facts but pleaded ignorance. Now charged with espionage, he faces up to 20 years in prison, with a possible new trial by late February 2026.
On December 25, 2025, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov revealed that a 'proposal' had been made to France regarding Vinatier. 'There have been appropriate contacts between our side and the French. Indeed, a proposal has been made to the French concerning Vinatier,' he stated, adding: 'The ball is in France's court now.' During his annual press conference, Vladimir Putin claimed to know nothing of the case but promised to inquire and do everything possible if Russian law allows.
From the French side, Macron's entourage stated that the president 'follows the situation with the greatest attention' and 'remains fully mobilized to obtain his release as quickly as possible, with the support of the relevant state services.' The Foreign Ministry specified that 'all state services [...] are fully mobilized' and that the Moscow consulate visits Vinatier as often as Russian prison authorities permit.
His lawyer, Maître Frédéric Belot, also represents Vinatier's parents. 'We are full of hope, but it is a prudent hope,' he told Le Figaro. The family hopes for a release by Orthodox Christmas on January 7, expressing confidence in French diplomacy. Paris accuses Russia of holding Westerners hostage amid tensions over the Ukraine war.
