The Japan Times - Russia makes 'proposal' to France over jailed researcher

The surprise public overture prompted hopes from Laurent Vinatier's family that he could soon be freed. It came as Russia and France expressed interest in possible talks between presidents Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron.

Macron is "fully mobilised" to obtain Vinatier's release "as quickly as possible", his office said, while insisting that the researcher was being held "arbitrarily".

Vinatier, 49, who works for a Swiss conflict mediation NGO, was jailed in June 2024 and is serving a three-year sentence for failing to register as a "foreign agent". He now faces fresh allegations of spying. Vinatier is among a number of westerners that their governments say are being held hostage.

"There were appropriate contacts between our side and the French. Indeed, a proposal was made to the French regarding Vinatier," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, including AFP.

He did not provide details but added that "the ball is now in France's court".

Vinatier's family say that he is a victim of tensions between Moscow and Paris over the war in Ukraine.

Frederic Belot, a lawyer for the family, said they hoped Vinatier could be released by the Orthodox Christmas on January 7. He said a prisoner exchange was possible but that he wanted to be "extremely prudent".

The researcher's mother Brigitte Vinatier told BFMTV television her son was well and "resilient".

Western countries have long accused Russia of arresting their citizens to use as bargaining chips to secure the release of alleged Russian spies and cyber criminals jailed in Europe and the United States.

Putin said last week he would look into Vinatier's case after a French journalist asked him about it during a news conference.

He said he knew nothing about Vinatier but promised to look into the case. "And if there's even the slightest chance of resolving this matter favourably, if Russian law allows it, we'll make every effort," Putin said.

- Putin 'ready' for dialogue -

The Kremlin said at the weekend that Putin was "ready" to engage in dialogue with the French leader.

This came after Macron raised the possibility that he could speak with Putin soon amid a flurry of diplomacy over the Ukraine war.

Macron has urged Russia to free Vinatier, saying he is being unfairly detained and that the "propaganda" against him "does not match reality".

He is just one of the Westerners arrested inside Russia after Putin launched an all-out offensive on Ukraine in February 2022.

Several US citizens have been imprisoned and then released in exchanges brokered by both US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden.

In the original case, prosecutors accused Vinatier of gathering military information without registering with the Russian authorities -- something he apologised for and said he was not aware he was required to do.

Speaking Russian during that trial, he said that in his work he always tried to "present Russia's interests in international relations".

In brief remarks as he was led by police from a court hearing in the Russian capital this year, Vinatier said he was "tired" and that he felt like he was being treated as a bargaining chip.

Moscow has used alleged breaches of the "foreign agents" law to arrest people before then applying more serious charges -- as happened to Vinatier.

S.Suzuki--JT