Russia denounces French-German ‘blackmail’ over Navalny

Russia on Wednesday slammed a statement by French and German foreign ministers directly accusing Moscow over the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and announcing they will seek EU sanctions.

Germany and France on Wednesday pointed to Russian “involvement and responsibility” in the poisoning of Navalny with a nerve agent, announcing that they would seek EU sanctions over the case.

The two countries said Russia’s statements were not “credible”, concluding “there is no other plausible explanation for Mr Navalny’s poisoning than Russian involvement and responsibility”.

“The declaration of the two ministers, unacceptable in content and tone, signals Paris and Berlin’s categorical lack of desire to consider the facts,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement, accusing the countries of “threats and attempts to blackmail us”.

The statement by France and Germany came a day after the UN’s chemical weapons watchdog OPCW confirmed Germany, France and Sweden’s finding that the Russian opposition leader was poisoned by a nerve agent of the Soviet-developed Novichok group.

Russia has complained that its requests to see evidence have been ignored while it has opted not to open a criminal probe into Navalny’s case, saying its medics found no trace of poison.

Zakharova said France and Germany appeared to be leading an “anti-Russian coalition” within the EU despite previous assurances they wanted “partnership with Russia”.