Overview
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov told TF1-LCI that Russia has presented a proposal to Paris regarding the detained French researcher and is waiting for a response.
- Peskov said President Vladimir Putin ordered a review of the file after publicly pledging to examine the case and pursue a lawful resolution.
- Laurent Vinatier, 49, has been held in Russia since June 2024 and was sentenced in October 2024 to three years for failing to register as a “foreign agent.”
- An espionage investigation remains underway, and his French lawyer has warned a trial could be scheduled for late February 2026.
- Vinatier’s parents expressed cautious hope on December 25 but said they have not heard from the French foreign ministry or President Emmanuel Macron since Putin’s remarks.