Russia says it has made a proposal to France regarding Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher jailed for violating Russia’s foreign agent laws and who faces charges of espionage that carry a possible 20-year prison sentence.
"The ball is now in France's court," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday.
"There were indeed relevant contacts between us and the French side. Indeed, a proposal was made to the French regarding Vinatier," he said, without providing details.
The French foreign ministry has declined to comment.
The surprise public overture comes as both Russia and France have expressed interest in possible talks between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron.
Vinatier, who works for a Swiss conflict mediation group, was sentenced to three years in prison in 2024 for failing to register as a “foreign agent”, for which he apologised. He is now facing additional charges of gathering data about Russia’s military activities.
Vinatier has rejected the accusations of spying, and his family say he is a victim of tensions between Russia and France over the war in Ukraine.
French presidency welcomes Putin's readiness to speak with Macron
Arbitrary detention
France has said Vinatier was arbitrarily detained and has called for his release. French President Emmanuel Macron has denied that Vinatier worked for the French state, and has described his arrest as part of a misinformation campaign by Moscow.
After a French journalist asked Putin about Vinatier during an end-of-year televised press conference last week, Putin said he would look into the case.
"I don't know anything about this case. This is the first I've heard of it," Putin said. "But I promise you I'll definitely find out what it is. And if there's even the slightest chance of resolving this matter favourably, if Russian law allows it, we'll make every effort."
The Kremlin said at the weekend that Putin was "ready" to engage in dialogue with Macron.
Vinatier is one of several Westerners to have been arrested after Putin launched an all-out offensive on Ukraine in February 2022.
Several United States citizens have been imprisoned and then released in exchanges brokered by both US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden.
Western countries have long accused Russia of arresting their citizens on baseless charges, seeking to use them as bargaining chips to secure the release of alleged Russian spies and cyber criminals jailed in Europe and the US.
(with Reuters)
