President Joe Biden directly blamed his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, for the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a prison located in the Arctic Circle. Had had been imprisoned since 2021.
"There is no doubt that the death of Navalny was the consequence of something that Putin and his thugs did," Biden stated forcefully at a press conference held at the White House. "Make no mistake, Putin is responsible for Navalny's death."
Happening Now: President Biden delivers remarks on the reported death of Aleksey Navalny. https://t.co/JjtMtrXj8A
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 16, 2024
In 2021, President Biden already warned that the consequences would be "devastating" for Russia if Navalny died. He issued this notice when he met with Putin in Geneva, Switzerland.
Navalny's death served to remind the president how essential the funds granted by his Administration to Ukraine are while the war against Russia continues:
This tragedy reminds us of the stakes in this moment, let’s provide the funding so Ukraine can keep defending itself against Putin's vicious onslaught and war crimes.
Numerous personalities from around the world, such as European Council President Charles Michel, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, reacted with indignation to Navalni's death. There were also similar statements from within the Biden administration, such as those from Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Vice President Kamala Harris.
