The visit of European diplomatic chief Josep Borrell to Moscow staged the international diplomatic crisis surrounding the jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
"My visit coincides with the arrest and sentencing of Alexei Navalny and the arrest of thousands of protesters [...] I have reiterated our call for his release and an impartial investigation into his poisoning," Borrell said in a joint press conference with the Minister of exteriors of Russia.