While the circumstances of Alexeï Navalny's death still remain mysterious, Yulia Navalnaïa is expected this Monday in Brussels.
The wife of Vladimir Putin's number 1 opponent will meet the foreign ministers of the European Union, three days after the death in a Russian prison of her husband.
“On Monday, I will welcome Yulia Navalnaïa to the EU Foreign Affairs Council,” confirmed the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell on Sunday evening on X, adding: “EU ministers will send a strong message of support to the freedom fighters in Russia and will honor the memory of Alexei Navalny,” he wrote.
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, had already given her support to the opponent's wife upon the announcement of his death.
Dear Yuliya, you and your family have bravely supported Alexei Navalny in his cause for so many years.
Today, we also bow our heads to the entire family.
pic.twitter.com/sw34KmrPQi
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 16, 2024
Yulia Navalnaya, 47, said she held Russian President Vladimir Putin “personally responsible” for his death and called on the international community to unite to inflict defeat on “this terrifying regime”.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani estimated that Yulia Navalnaïa's statements “will help all Europeans to better understand what type of violent system we must confront and contain in Ukraine.”
“This makes us feel the threat that weighs on Russian citizens and all regions of our Europe, a continent where violence, brutality and war have been reestablished in a shameful and irresponsible way,” added Antonio Tajani.
Arrests in Russia
This weekend, Russian police arrested hundreds of people in dozens of cities who came to lay flowers and light candles in honor of Alexei Navalny at memorials to victims of Stalin-era repression.
In St. Petersburg alone, in the northwest, judges this weekend sentenced 154 of these people to sentences of up to 14 days in prison for violating the strict legislation governing demonstrations, according to the decisions made public by the press service of the local courts.
Protests against the Kremlin and other public actions opposing the regime are illegal in Russia, notably under legislation banning unauthorized gatherings.
However, the American ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, said she had gathered on Sunday in front of an improvised memorial in Moscow, at the Solovetsky stone, a monument to the victims of political repression.
Elsewhere, support and rallies in Nalvany continued.
Starting with singer Bono from the group U2 in concert.
He spoke for the freedom of the people of Ukraine and against Putin before singing "Don't Dream It's Over" and called on the crowd to chant Navalny's name.
⚠️ Last night U2 concert
Bono spoke out for the freedom of the people of #Ukraine and against Putin
Before singing "Don't Dream It's Over", he called on the audience to say the name "Alexei Navalny" that n 'Putin never uttered pic.twitter.com/JtiFqXyT8p
— BMGH 🇫🇷 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@benoitmgh) February 18, 2024
Those close to Alexei Navalny on Saturday described the Russian authorities as “killers” seeking to “cover their tracks” by refusing to hand over his body.
A Russian opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta claims that Navalny's body was located in an Arctic hospital.
According to this information, which could not be independently verified, the body which appears to have bruises has not yet been autopsied.