President Biden Expresses Condolences to Navalny’s Family
Meeting in California
Washington — President Biden met with the wife and daughter of the late Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny in California on Thursday to express his heartfelt condolences over his death, the White House said.
In a meeting with Yulia and Dasha Navalnaya, President Biden expressed his admiration for Alexey Navalny’s extraordinary courage and his legacy of fighting against corruption and for a free and democratic Russia. He emphasized that Navalny’s legacy will continue through people across Russia and around the world who mourn his loss and continue to fight for freedom, democracy, and human rights.
Announcing Sanctions
Speaking to reporters in Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon, President Biden stated that his administration would be announcing sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin for Navalny’s death. The President declared Putin responsible for the tragic loss and will take action to hold Russia accountable for its aggression, repression, and illegal war in Ukraine.
CBS News has learned that the U.S. will impose over 500 sanctions on Russia, its enablers, and its military war machine. The Treasury and State Departments will issue the largest set of sanctions since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Navalny’s Legacy
Aleksey Navalny, Putin’s most prominent opponent and critic, was known for exposing corruption among the Russian elite and advocating for democratic reforms. His recent death has led to an outpouring of grief worldwide and heightened tension between the United States and Russia.
Navalny’s death, which occurred while he was detained in a penal colony in Russia’s far north, remains shrouded in mystery. Russian authorities have claimed that the cause of death is still unknown, but Navalny’s family believes that he was killed. They have accused the Russian authorities of delaying the release of his body until traces of the poison had vanished.
Pressures on Navalny’s Family
Russian officials, in an attempt to exert control, have pressed Navalny’s family for a quiet burial without a mourning ceremony. Despite their grief, Navalny’s wife, Yulia Navalnaya, continues to accuse the Russian authorities of killing her husband with a Soviet-era nerve agent and suppressing the truth.
As of now, Navalny’s mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, has been allowed to see his body but is being coerced into accepting the conditions imposed on the burial.
President Biden’s meeting with Navalny’s family underscores the ongoing international concern for justice in Navalny’s case and the commitment to holding Russia accountable. The new sanctions imposed on Russia will serve as a statement of condemnation for their actions and will be a significant step in promoting global justice.
Bo Erickson and Nancy Cordes contributed reporting.
