U.S. official: Action ‘designed to hold … Putin accountable” for opposition leader’s demise, Ukraine war
1 of 2 | National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby speaks at the White House earlier this month. On Tuesday, Kirby said “major sanctions” are on the way for Russia after the death of political opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
The United States says “major sanctions” are coming against Russia on Friday in response to the questionable circumstances that surround the death of Russian political opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday morning that “whatever story the Russian government decides to tell the world,” it is clear to the rest of the world that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and his government “are responsible for Mr. Navalny’s death.” Advertisement
President Joe Biden said Monday that he was actively considering the placement of new and further political sanctions against Russia.
Kirby did not give details on the planned sanctions.
While he did not speak to what further sanctions will look like, Kirby said they will be “designed to hold Mr. Putin accountable for now two years of war in Ukraine, but also specifically supplemented with additional sanctions regarding Mr. Navalny’s death.”
This Sunday will mark two years since Russia invaded Ukraine.
Kirby also echoed the calls of others for Congress to pass the bipartisan national security supplemental bill that has aid for Ukraine and which currently is stalled in the Republican-controlled U.S. House. Advertisement
Navalny’s death comes after Wagner Group head Yevgeny Prigozhin’s — another Putin opposition figure at the time — mysterious death in an airplane crash in August.
On Tuesday, the French government said they had summoned Russia’s ambassador in Paris to also call for an investigation into Navalny’s death.
This comes as the European Union has also vowed to take steps against Russia consistent with the United States.
“The EU will spare no efforts to hold Russia’s political leadership and authorities to account, in close coordination with our partners, and impose further costs for their actions, including through sanctions,” Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative, said Monday.
