US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed support for the conclusions reached by five European nations regarding the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who reportedly died from a toxin derived from poisonous frogs. Rubio made these remarks during a press conference in Bratislava, Slovakia, as reported by Reuters.
“We are certainly aware of this report. It is a concerning report. We know about the case involving Navalny and, of course, we have no reason to question it,” Rubio stated.
When asked why the United States had not joined the European statement, he explained that the findings were the result of investigations conducted by the United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, France, and the Netherlands, which directly examined samples related to Navalny’s case.
“These countries reached that conclusion. They coordinated it. We decided… This does not mean that we disagree with the findings. It simply was not our initiative. Sometimes countries act based on intelligence they have gathered. We are not disputing these countries on this matter, but it was their report, and they published it,” Rubio added.
The foreign ministries of the UK, Sweden, France, Germany, and the Netherlands released a joint statement asserting that Navalny was poisoned with a lethal toxin known as epibatidine, which is found in toxic tropical frogs native to South America and is not present in Russia.
The Russian government, which has consistently denied any responsibility for Navalny’s death, dismissed the latest allegations as a “mystification of Western propaganda,” according to the Russian news agency TASS.
Background on Navalny’s Death
On February 16, 2024, Russian authorities announced that Alexei Navalny had died in prison following a walk. The next day, Navalny’s spokesperson, Kira Yarmish, confirmed his death and alleged that he had been murdered. Subsequently, Yarmish reported that Navalny’s lawyer and mother visited the morgue in Salekhard, only to find it closed, despite claims from the prison that it was operational and that Navalny’s body was there.
German publication Bild reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin had sought the release of Vadim Krasikov, an agent currently imprisoned in Germany, suggesting that a potential exchange for Navalny was discussed.
On February 19, Yarmish stated that the cause of Navalny’s death had yet to be determined. Later that day, high-ranking EU official Josep Borrell proposed renaming the European sanctions regime for human rights violations in honor of Navalny during a meeting of EU foreign ministers.
On February 22, Navalny’s mother claimed she had been shown her son’s body but faced conditions imposed by Russian authorities regarding his burial. She also reported receiving threats.
Following Navalny’s death, his associates indicated that a political exchange was being prepared and linked his death to this potential deal.
Navalny was buried at Borisovskoye Cemetery in Moscow on March 1. In March, Putin stated that he had agreed to the exchange of Navalny just days before his death, emphasizing that he had one condition: Navalny should never return to Russia.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has affirmed the findings of five European countries regarding Alexei Navalny's death, which they attribute to poisoning. The Russian government has dismissed these allegations as Western propaganda.
Source: Reuters