Less than a week following the death of opposition leader Alexey Navalny in prison, President Joe Biden held a meeting with Navalny’s widow Yulia Navalnaya and daughter Dasha Navalnaya in San Francisco, where he pledged to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for the tragedy.
The meeting, unlisted on Biden’s public schedule for Thursday, offered an opportunity for the President to convey condolences and acknowledge Navalny’s remarkable courage and commitment to combatting corruption while advocating for a free and democratic Russia, as stated by the White House.
Biden Met Yulia Navalnaya
Biden’s encounter with Yulia Navalnaya and Dasha Navalnaya coincided with his visit to California to raise funds for his reelection campaign. Notably, Dasha Navalnaya is a student at Stanford University.
“To state the obvious, he was a man of incredible courage,” Biden told reporters after the meeting. “It’s amazing how his wife and daughter are emulating that.”
“We’re going to be announcing sanctions against Putin, who is responsible for his death, tomorrow,” Biden said.
Prior to this meeting, President Biden had indicated that the United States would unveil sanctions on Friday, aligning with the two-year anniversary of the conflict in Ukraine, and aiming to hold the Kremlin accountable for Navalny’s demise. It’s worth noting that Russia, including President Putin, has already faced extensive sanctions from both the United States and other European nations, rendering the upcoming measures largely symbolic.
The meeting underscored the stark contrasts in approach between President Biden and Republican frontrunner Donald Trump regarding how to address Putin’s escalating aggression amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Unlike Trump, who has refrained from condemning Putin directly for Navalny’s death and has even equated the dissident’s plight to legal issues he faces in the United States, Biden has taken a more confrontational stance. Trump’s remarks, including his suggestion that he would allow Moscow to attack NATO allies failing to meet defense-spending targets, have drawn sharp criticism from Biden.
Expressing his dismay at Trump’s statements, Biden referred to Putin as a “crazy SOB” and rebuked Trump for likening himself to Navalny. Biden’s remarks, made during a fundraiser, highlighted the stark departure from past political norms, reflecting the intensity of the current geopolitical climate.
Moreover, the ongoing conflict has provided Biden with ammunition to use against Trump on the campaign trail, particularly in light of congressional Republicans’ decision to thwart a fresh Ukraine aid package at Trump’s urging. This has allowed Biden to underscore the sharp policy differences between himself and his political rival, emphasizing his commitment to supporting Ukraine and countering Russian aggression.
Navalny’s widow Yulia Navalnaya and mother have stepped forward to champion his anti-Putin crusade in the wake of his death.
Lyudmila Navalnaya, the mother of the opposition leader, has accused Russian authorities of withholding his body, as mandated by law, unless she consents to a secretive burial arrangement. In a video statement released after she was permitted to view Navalny’s body, she expressed her refusal to comply with their demands, condemning their attempt to bury him in an undisclosed location on the outskirts of a cemetery.
Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny’s wife, addressed the Munich Security Conference shortly after learning of her husband’s demise. Despite receiving a standing ovation from the audience, she admitted uncertainty regarding the veracity of the tragic news. Nevertheless, Yulia Navalnaya unequivocally held the regime and Vladimir Putin personally accountable for the atrocities inflicted upon her country.
President Biden affirmed on Thursday that Navalny’s wife “will continue to fight” for justice and accountability amidst the ongoing struggle against Putin’s regime.
In anticipation of the forthcoming US sanctions, the Justice Department took decisive action on Thursday against several pro-Russian oligarchs. They were targeted for their alleged efforts to circumvent existing US sanctions by maintaining and, in some instances, enhancing luxury assets such as super-yachts and high-end real estate in competitive markets like Aspen, Colorado.
The charges, unveiled by the department’s KleptoCapture Task Force, coincided with the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco highlighted the task force’s achievements since the invasion, noting that it had secured court orders for the restraint, seizure, and forfeiture of nearly $700 million in assets linked to Russian enablers. Additionally, more than 70 individuals have been charged in connection with these efforts.
The charges were announced across multiple states, including New York, Florida, Georgia, and Washington, DC, underscoring the widespread scope of the Justice Department’s crackdown on illicit financial activities linked to Russian oligarchs.
