President Biden blamed President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in my view on Friday for the reported demise of the imprisoned Russian dissident Aleksei A. Navalny, and cited the case in urgent House Republicans to approve army help to Ukraine in its warfare with Moscow.
But whilst he as soon as threatened to impose “devastating” penalties on Mr. Putin if Mr. Navalny died in jail, the president conceded that there used to be now not a lot more he may do after the sanctions and different movements taken within the closing two years based on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death,” Mr. Biden mentioned in a televised observation from the White House. “Putin is responsible. What has happened to Navalny is yet more proof of Putin’s brutality. No one should be fooled, not in Russia, not at home, not anywhere in the world.”
Asked if Mr. Navalny have been assassinated, Mr. Biden mentioned the United States didn’t have a complete figuring out of the instances. “The answer is, we don’t know exactly what happened, but there is no doubt that the death of Navalny was a consequence of something that Putin and his thugs did.”
The demise of Mr. Navalny got here at a gentle second in America’s war of words with Russia over its aggression in Europe and repression at house. House Republicans are blocking off $60.1 billion in army help to Ukraine on the behest of former President Donald J. Trump, who himself is boasting that he would “encourage” Russia to assault NATO allies that don’t spend sufficient on their military.
Mr. Biden is looking for to make the case for American management on the earth and reassure European allies that the United States nonetheless has their again. He despatched Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken to the Munich Security Conference in Germany this week to defuse fears of an American retreat. But the temper in Munich used to be darkish even ahead of stories of Mr. Navalny’s demise. American attendees mentioned in all places they went, they had been besieged by way of distraught Europeans.
“What we want to hear are real assurances that the Americans are not going to abandon Ukraine and Europe,” Wolfgang Ischinger, a former German ambassador to the United States and longtime impresario on the convention, mentioned ahead of Ms. Harris’s speech. “There is panic in this country.”
Ms. Harris sought to present simply such assurances, even supposing there used to be nice skepticism within the corridor, the place many had been already making ready for the chance of a 2nd time period for Mr. Trump if he wins the November election.
“In these unsettled times, it is clear: America cannot retreat,” Ms. Harris advised the convention. “America must stand strong for democracy. We must stand in defense of international rules and norms, and we must stand with our allies. That is what represents the ideals of America, and the American people know that is what makes us strong. And make no mistake, the American people will meet this moment, and America will continue to lead.”
Speaking in Washington, Mr. Biden cited Mr. Navalny’s demise to press his argument to Congress to go the protection help to Ukraine and expressed indignation that the House had left for a recess with out taking motion.
“It’s about time they step up, don’t you think?” he mentioned. “Instead of going on a two-week vacation. Two weeks! They’re walking away. Two weeks! What are they thinking? My God. This is bizarre. And it’s just reinforcing all the concern and almost, I won’t say panic, but real concern about the United States being a reliable ally. This is outrageous.”
It used to be now not transparent precisely what had took place to Mr. Navalny, however no person within the Biden management used to be taking significantly the legit rationalization that he merely had misplaced awareness and died after taking a stroll at his Arctic jail. If he used to be killed, American officers must imagine what that claims about Mr. Putin at this second. With occasions reputedly going his manner in Washington in recent times, some analysts mentioned, Mr. Putin could have felt extra impunity to behave towards his maximum outstanding inner challenger with out concern of penalty.
Nearly 3 years in the past, Mr. Biden mentioned he had warned Mr. Putin, all over a gathering in Geneva, to not hurt Mr. Navalny whilst he used to be in jail, including that no person would purchase any Russian duvet tales if he did flip up lifeless. “I made it clear to him that I believe the consequences of that would be devastating for Russia,” Mr. Biden advised newshounds following the assembly in 2021.
“What do you think happens when he’s saying it’s not about hurting Navalny, all the stuff he says to rationalize the treatment of Navalny, and then he dies in prison?” Mr. Biden mentioned on the time. “It’s about trust. It’s about their ability to influence other nations in a positive way.”
But the president conceded on Friday that it could be laborious to ship the ones “devastating” penalties as a result of within the years since, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had caused the United States and the West to impose extensive sanctions and different consequences on Moscow. Nonetheless, Mr. Biden mentioned, “we’re contemplating what else can be done.”
Mr. Biden mentioned Mr. Navalny’s demise will have to remind Americans of the significance of status as much as Mr. Putin and took a swipe at Mr. Trump, who seems prone to be his challenger, for encouraging Russia to assault allies. Mr. Biden, calling {that a} “dangerous statement,” vowed to face by way of Europe towards Russian aggression.
The president praised Mr. Navalny’s braveness for returning to Russia even after he used to be poisoned and knew that going again would put him in danger of being despatched to jail, as he used to be.
“He was so many things that Putin was not,” Mr. Biden mentioned. “He was brave, he was principled, he was dedicated to building a Russia where the rule of law existed and where it applied to everybody.”
Steven Erlanger contributed reporting.