In response to the death of Alexei Navalny, the EU announced further sanctions against Russia. She blames Putin for the death of the Kremlin critic. The USA is also considering further sanctions.
Germany and another 26 EU states have taken a clear stance on the death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny: “The European Union is shocked by the death of the Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, for which President Putin and the Russian authorities ultimately bear responsibility,” it says a statement released by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, among others, had previously expressed herself even more clearly. She assumes that Navalny was deliberately murdered. Von der Leyen said on the sidelines of a CDU board meeting that she spoke to Navalny’s widow at the Munich Security Conference and she described very impressively that Navalny had taken part in a hearing via a video link the day before the start of the Munich Security Conference. He was joking and it was clear that he was doing well. Julia Navalnaya also pointed out that her husband was only 47 years old and healthy. “Your statements have once again confirmed very clearly that he was deliberately murdered,” added von der Leyen.
The EU and USA are considering sanctions
If Russia does not comply with the demand for an independent investigation into the circumstances of the death, the EU will threaten new sanctions. For enforcement purposes, the EU wants to use a special instrument to punish serious human rights violations.
This should be named after Navalny. According to EU foreign policy chief Borrell, the foreign ministers had agreed to a corresponding proposal in Brussels. The renaming will be a way to keep Navalny’s memory alive. In the future, the sanctions regime should be called the global Navalny sanctions regime in the area of human rights. It was used for the first time in 2021 to punish Russian state officials for jailing Navalny. The EU also called on the Russian authorities to release those arrested during the mourning rallies.
And the US government does not rule out imposing further sanctions against Russia. “We have already imposed sanctions, but we are considering additional sanctions,” US President Joe Biden said in Washington when asked by reporters.
Germany summons Russian ambassador
The death of Kremlin critic Navalny also has diplomatic consequences: The Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador. It is shocking that President Vladimir Putin is trying to silence his own population, said a spokeswoman for the Foreign Office in Berlin.
The politically motivated proceedings against Navalny and numerous other critics of the Russian government and the inhumane prison conditions show how brutal the Russian justice system is against dissidents and the means Putin uses to suppress freedom of expression in Russia, said the spokeswoman. “We condemn this in the strongest possible terms and expressly call for the release of all those imprisoned in Russia for political reasons.”
The federal government called on Russia to hand over Navalny’s body to the family, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit added. Both Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had a conversation with Navalny’s widow Julia. There must be an independent investigation into the cause of death of the opposition politician.
Other countries are drawing diplomatic consequences
Germany was followed by Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania: They also invited the Russian ambassadors and representatives. They all agree with the call for Russia to allow a full and transparent investigation. In Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius, Navalny’s death was condemned and emphasized that responsibility for it lay with the Kremlin, it said in a statement.
Widow wants to continue Navalny’s work
Yulia Navalnaya, the opposition leader’s widow, also spoke in a video message. Putin took away her dearest and most valuable person, half of her soul and heart, said Navalnaya. “But I have a second half – and it tells me that I have no right to give up.”
She declared that she would continue her husband’s work and fight for a free Russia. “I want to live in a free Russia, I want to build a free Russia.” She made serious accusations against the Russian ruler: “Vladimir Putin killed my husband.”
In her video, Navalnaya also showed a picture of the mother looking for her dead son in the polar region.
Mother still has no access to the body
In Russia, Navalny’s mother and his lawyers are still waiting to finally see the body. As Navalny’s spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh announced, Lyudmila Navalnaya was not allowed into the morgue in the northern Russian city of Salekhard. “When asked whether Alexei’s body is there, the employees do not answer,” Yarmysh wrote on the X news service. One of the lawyers was literally pushed out of the morgue.
Meanwhile, Navalny’s mother is said to have been informed that the body would not be released for another 14 days because there were supposed to be “chemical tests.”
Relatives and Navalny’s team have been calling on the Russian power apparatus for days to hand over the body. Navalny’s mother had already visited the morgue on Saturday in vain to receive her son’s remains.
Kremlin: Investigation into cause of death is ongoing
According to the Kremlin, the investigation into the circumstances of Navalny’s death is still ongoing. “So far, the results of this investigation have not been published and are therefore not known,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.