Expert at the European Council Bernard Owen (left), French Senate Legislative Committee Deputy Chair Patrice Gelard (centre) and Chairman of the Russian Central Electoral Commission (CIK) Alexander Veshnyakov (right) attend a round table meeting in the Russian Central Electoral Commission building.

French Senate Legislative Committee Deputy Chair Patrice Gelard (left), Chairman of the Russian Central Electoral Commission (CIK) Alexander Veshnyakov (centre) and Professor at the University of Sorbonne Michel Lesage (right) attend a round table meeting in the Russian Central Electoral Commission building.

French Senate Legislative Committee Deputy Chair Patrice Gelard (left) and Chairman of the Russian Central Electoral Commission (CIK) Alexander Veshnyakov (right) attend a round table meeting in the Russian Central Electoral Commission building.

French Senate Legislative Committee Deputy Chair Patrice Gelard (left), Chairman of the Russian Central Electoral Commission (CIK) Alexander Veshnyakov (centre) and Professor at the University of Sorbonne Michel Lesage (right) attend a round table meeting in the Russian Central Electoral Commission building.

French Senate Legislative Committee Deputy Chair Patrice Gelard (left), Chairman of the Russian Central Electoral Commission (CIK) Alexander Veshnyakov (centre) and Professor at the University of Sorbonne Michel Lesage (right) attend a round table meeting in the Russian Central Electoral Commission building.

French Senate Legislative Committee Deputy Chair Patrice Gelard (left), Chairman of the Russian Central Electoral Commission (CIK) Alexander Veshnyakov (centre), Professor at the University of Sorbonne Michel Lesage (right) and Vice speaker of the State Duma, leader of the Russian Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) Vladimir Zhirinovsky (foreground left) attend a round table meeting in the Russian Central Electoral Commission building.

French Senate Legislative Committee Deputy Chair Patrice Gelard (left) and Chairman of the Russian Central Electoral Commission (CIK) Alexander Veshnyakov (right) attend a round table meeting in the Russian Central Electoral Commission building.

French Senate Legislative Committee Deputy Chair Patrice Gelard (left), Chairman of the Russian Central Electoral Commission (CIK) Alexander Veshnyakov (centre) and Professor at the University of Sorbonne Michel Lesage (right) attend a round table meeting in the Russian Central Electoral Commission building.

French Senate Legislative Committee Deputy Chair Patrice Gelard (left) and Chairman of the Russian Central Electoral Commission (CIK) Alexander Veshnyakov (right) attend a round table meeting in the Russian Central Electoral Commission building.

French Senate Legislative Committee Deputy Chair Patrice Gelard (left), Chairman of the Russian Central Electoral Commission (CIK) Alexander Veshnyakov (centre) and Professor at the University of Sorbonne Michel Lesage (right) attend a round table meeting in the Russian Central Electoral Commission building.