Biden Meets With Navalny Family To Discuss New Sanctions Against Putin

On Thursday, President Joe Biden met with the family of Alexei Navalny, a Russian opposition leader.

Biden met with Navalny’s wife Yulia Navalnaya and one of the couple’s children, daughter Dasha Navalnaya. During their meeting in California, Biden said he would pledge new sanctions against Putin who is “responsible for [Navalny’s] death.”

This week, the Biden administration imposed 500 new sanctions amidst the Russian-Ukrainian war and Navalny’s death. Navalny’s death was met with criticism and outrage due to the mysterious circumstances of his death. It was reported that Navalny allegedly fell ill and died during imprisonment.

“Putin is responsible, whether he ordered it or he is responsible for the circumstances he put that man in,” Biden said regarding the death.

Biden has also criticized former President Donald Trump for comparing his ongoing legal battles to Navalny’s death. Trump was also slammed by fellow Republican presidential opponent Nikki Haley.

“He’s comparing himself to Navalny and saying that because our country’s become a communist country, he was persecuted, just like Navalny was persecuted,” Biden said during a fundraiser on Wednesday.

Trump has also been called out for stating he would support Putin attacking NATO members if they do not pay their “dues” to the alliance. In fact, NATO does not have “dues” only a defense spending target based on two percent of a country’s GDP.