Outrage grows over Russia’s Navalny crackdown as EU, Joe Biden take tough tone
- Ally of jailed Kremlin critic Navalny calls off protests for now
- Joe Biden says no more US ‘rolling over’ to Russia, as EU foreign policy chief says ties under ‘intense pressure’
Russian officials faced growing outrage at home and abroad over the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and a crackdown on protesters, with the US threatening to take action over Moscow’s behaviour.
“Our relationship is indeed in a difficult moment,” Borrell said at the start of talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. “Certainly our relations are under severe strain and the Navalny case is a low point.”
He was sentenced this week to nearly three years in prison – his first lengthy jail term – and is due in court again on Friday on charges of defaming a World War II veteran.
Navalny urged his supporters to fight fear and free Russia from “a handful of thieves in power” on Thursday in a message from prison, his first detailed comments since the court ruling.
During the recent demonstrations police detained dozens of journalists, with jails packed full of demonstrators serving short sentences in Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
