The United States will announce new sanctions on Russia on February 23 over the death of opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, the White House said on February 20.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the “major sanctions package” will be announced “to hold Russia accountable for what happened to Mr. Navalny."
Kirby added that no matter what story Russia decides to tell the world about Navalny’s death, “it's clear President [Vladimir] Putin and his government are responsible."
The sanctions will also be in response to Russia’s actions in the “vicious and brutal war” in Ukraine, Kirby said.
Meanwhile, the European Union said on February 20 that it had summoned the Russian charge d'affaires in Brussels over Navalny's death.
The EU's managing director for Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia, Michael Siebert, summoned Kirill Logvinov and "called upon Russia to allow an independent and transparent international investigation into circumstances” of Navalny's death, a statement from the EU's diplomatic service said.
The EU also conveyed its outrage over Navalny’s death “for which the ultimate responsibility lies with President Putin and the Russian authorities,” and urged Russia to release his body to his family.
