French diplomat Gaël Vésier, who served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Ukraine from 2023 to 2026, has been awarded an international prize in the field of diplomacy as part of the 30th anniversary nationwide “Person of the Year 2025” program.
Gaël Vésier was born in 1972. He graduated from ESSEC Business School and Sciences Po, the Paris Institute of Political Studies, and also holds a degree in history. He began his diplomatic career at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1997.
Throughout his career, Vésier has served twice at the Permanent Mission of France to the European Union in Brussels, where, among other roles, he served as spokesperson and headed the press office. He also worked at the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations in New York and held a number of positions at the headquarters of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
From 2004 to 2005, Vésier served as a technical advisor in the office of French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and was responsible for relations with EU countries, the Balkans, and Eastern Europe. From 2017 to 2019, he headed the offices of the ministers and state secretaries for European affairs Marielle de Sarnez, Nathalie Loiseau, and Amélie de Montchalin.
Prior to his appointment to Kyiv, Vésière served as France’s ambassador to Croatia from 2019 to 2023. On August 20, 2023, he officially took office as France’s ambassador to Ukraine.
His diplomatic mission in Ukraine concluded in July 2026. During a farewell meeting, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga highlighted Vesier’s contribution to strengthening the Ukrainian-French strategic partnership, deepening political dialogue, defense cooperation, and coordination between the two countries on the international stage.
Effective July 17, 2026, Vesier was appointed director of the Crisis Response and Support Center at the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. The corresponding decree by French President Emmanuel Macron was signed on July 9.
Brice Rocfay has become the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Ukraine; on July 30, 2026, he presented his credentials to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Gaël Vésier is a recipient of French state honors, including the National Order of Merit. Throughout his diplomatic career, he has specialized primarily in European politics, international security, and France’s relations with Central and Eastern European countries.
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