Romney asks the Senate to approve sanctions against Putin for Navalny poisoning

Romney asks the Senate to approve sanctions against Putin for Navalny poisoning

by

Sen. Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) minimum wage pressure Mitt RomneyBiden faces an uphill battle with Republican Party senators struggling with the elimination of Trump from the party Impeachment trial tests Trump’s control over the Senate MORE (R-Utah) on Tuesday called for sanctions to be imposed on Russia following the arrest of opposition political leader Alexei Navalny, who was detained after his return to Moscow over the weekend.

“The corruption and illegality of the Putin regime remains on full display for the world to see. Navalny’s arrest is yet another blatant attempt by Putin to silence the Russian people’s struggle for freedom and democracy, ”Romney tweeted on Tuesday. “The United States must hold it accountable.”

The Utah senator was bound by legislation he co-sponsored with Sens. Chris van Hollen (D-Md.), Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioFlorida Republicans close ranks with Trump after the siege of the Capitol. (R-Fla.), Ben CardinBenjamin (Ben) Louis CardinSenate Democrats wary of preventing obstruction Georgia keeps Senate agenda in limbo Trump signs bill authorizing memorial to deceased journalists MORE (D-Md.) E Chris CoonsChris Andrew CoonsSenate Democrats wary of overriding obstruction Security concerns rise before Biden’s inauguration Trump’s impeachment clashes with Biden’s agenda MORE (D-Del.) That would sanction Kremlin officers allegedly involved in Navalny’s poisoning with the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok.

Navalny became ill last year on a domestic flight to Siberia and was rushed to a Berlin hospital, where he was placed in an induced coma. After he was released from the hospital, the Russian prison agency informed him that he would be violating the terms of a 2014 suspended sentence, unless he returned to Moscow immediately.

Authorities told Navalny that if he returned to Russia later, he would be subject to arrest. Navalny said the 2014 embezzlement conviction was politically motivated. Authorities took him into custody at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on Sunday.

The Kremlin has repeatedly denied Navalny’s poisoning and a spokesman for the president Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich PutinNearly national security adviser calls for the immediate release of Kremlin critic Navalny. Kremlin critic Navalny, detained in Moscow on his return to Russia. Navalny plans to return to Russia on Sunday MORE rejected him for suffering from a persecution complex.

However, last year, Navalny impersonated an intelligence officer in the Kremlin and recorded a call in which an expert in FSB toxins apparently confirmed that the poison was applied to the stitching of his underwear. Russia maintained its denial after the release of the recording.

.Source