In a recent development, President Joe Biden has met with the family of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Following this meeting, he announced major impending sanctions against Russia.
What Happened: Biden had a meeting with Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny’s widow, and their daughter, Dasha, in California on Thursday. This meeting took place less than a week after Navalny’s demise in a Russian prison, reported NBC News.
Biden expressed his admiration for Navalny’s bravery and his legacy of fighting corruption. He also announced that major sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, who he holds accountable for Navalny’s death, will be announced on Friday.
The president’s official X account also posted pictures of the meeting online.
The sanctions are a response to Navalny’s death, Russia’s aggression, and its illegal war in Ukraine. The White House emphasized that Navalny’s legacy will continue to inspire people across Russia and around the world fighting for freedom, democracy, and human rights.
Earlier in the day, Navalnaya tweeted a photo of herself with her daughter, who is a student at Stanford University, saying she had flown to be with her. Navalnaya has vowed to continue her late husband’s fight for a “free Russia.”
Navalnaya accused the Kremlin of killing her husband and covering it up by not quickly releasing his body to his family. She said Russian authorities were waiting for traces of the military nerve agent used to poison him in 2020 to leave his body.
See Also: Trump Not Sure If He Can Work With Mitch McConnell: ‘He’ll Probably End Up Endorsing Me’
Why It Matters: The death of Navalny has been a major point of contention between the U.S. and Russia. Biden has previously accused Putin of being responsible for Navalny’s death. He also criticized former President Donald Trump for drawing parallels between himself and Navalny.
The U.S. had already planned to announce a new package of sanctions against Russia following Navalny’s death. Navalnaya has also vowed to continue her late husband’s fight against Putin.
Photo by Trevor Bexon on Shutterstock
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