European nations call upon Russian diplomats to discuss Navalny’s death

Several European governments called for meetings with Russian diplomats in response to the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in prison on Monday

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne announced plans to call upon the Russian ambassador in Paris following the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in prison. Norway’s foreign ministry also disclosed its intention to summon the top Russian diplomat for a discussion on the matter.

“In the upcoming dialogue, Norwegian perspectives regarding the Russian authorities’ accountability for the demise and their role in enabling a transparent inquiry will be communicated,” Norway mentioned, noting that the meeting had not occurred yet but will take place soon. 

This development came after similar declarations made earlier on Monday by Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands, revealing that they had summoned representatives from Russian embassies. London had taken a similar action on Friday evening. 

The announcement of Navalny’s demise in a secluded penitentiary in the Arctic, where the 47-year-old was serving a 19-year term following his survival of a 2020 poisoning that he attributed to the Kremlin, was made public on Friday. 

“Once again, the true nature of (Russian President) Vladimir Putin’s regime has been exposed,” remarked Sejourne on Monday. 

Western nations have collectively assigned responsibility to the Russian authorities for his passing, occurring three years into his sentence, which deprives the opposition of its most prominent figure a month before the presidential elections that are anticipated to further solidify Putin’s control. 

Finland’s foreign ministry on the social media platform X urged Russia to “liberate all political detainees” while confirming that it had summoned the ambassador on Monday. 

“It is tragic that Alexei Navalny has paid the ultimate price for his advocacy for a liberated and democratic Russia,” Hanke Bruins Slot, the Netherlands’ minister for foreign affairs, shared on X. “We vigorously implore Russia to hand over Navalny’s remains to his family and loved ones.” 

At the start of the week, Sweden’s Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom expressed in a statement that he had called upon Russia’s ambassador and proposed that the European Union contemplate “a fresh sanctions mechanism targeting the internal suppression in Russia.” 

On Friday, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares insisted that Madrid “requests clarification of the circumstances” surrounding the demise. 

Source: Newsroom