Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says measures should be taken against Russia over the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
"There is no reason not to trust the conclusions of the German laboratory. Ukraine immediately issued a statement in which we recognized the results of these analyzes and condemned the use of the Novichok chemical substance by the Russian Federation against the opposition leader," he said at a briefing on September 4.
This is not an isolated event, the minister said.
"This is another step by the Russian Federation in the fight against dissent. There are no boundaries for them to poison someone. This is done all over the world, these stories are well known," he said.
Kuleba reiterated the statement of the Organization for the Prohibition of the Use of Chemical Weapons, which regarded the Kremlin's actions as the use of chemical weapons.
"This is a starting position from which it is necessary to assess the Russian Federation's actions. We proceed from the fact that this crime must not go unpunished. Logic shows us that impunity only encourages the Russian Federation to new aggressive actions and crimes," the minister said.
Read alsoNavalny poisoning: OPCW Director-General issues statementKuleba added that partners and all countries opposing Russia should use effective mechanisms of influence. In particular, the adoption of new sanctions and the ban on the construction of Nord Stream 2.
According to the foreign minister, if the Nord Stream 2 project is completed, Russia will have additional investments for its aggressive actions both inside the country and abroad.
"Therefore, now we need to take a comprehensive approach to the issue and take measures that will maximize the price for its [Russian] aggressive actions," Kuleba added.
Navalny poisoning: background
- Russian opposition's Alexei Navalny felt sick on board the plane he was flying from the city of Tomsk to Moscow on August 20.
- His rapidly deteriorating condition forced the captain to perform an emergency landing in Omsk.
- Navalny's press secretary assumed the politician's tea had been laced with poison.
- Navalny was evacuated from Omsk to Germany on an ambulance aircraft for further medical treatment on Saturday, August 22.
- Experts with the Bundeswehr laboratory found in Navalny's body traces of poison from the Novichok group. In this regard, Berlin calls on Moscow to explain the circumstances of the poisoning of the Russian opposition figure.
