Kremlin warns West against jumping to conclusions on Navalny amid sanction talks

Kremlin warned Germany and other European countries against rushing to a conclusion in Alexei Navalny’s case after German health authorities confirmed the use of Soviet-era nerve agent to poison the Russian opposition leader. German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesperson Steffen Seibert said in a statement that toxicological test results "revealed unequivocal proof of the presence of a chemical nerve agent from the Novichok group."

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said that any poisoning of an individual through the use of a nerve agent is considered a use of chemical weapons. OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias said in a statement that such an allegation is a matter of serious concern and the States that signatories to the Chemical Weapons Convention deem the use of chemical weapons as reprehensible.

“The OPCW continues to monitor the situation and stands ready to engage with and to assist any States Parties that may request its assistance,” the statement read.

Read: Germany Faces Pressure To Drop Russian Pipeline Project Over Navalny's Poisoning

Read: What Is Novichok? How Lethal Is Soviet-era Nerve Agent Found In Alexi Navalny's Samples?

Call for sanctions

The revelation has angered Western countries but the European Commission any new sanctions on Russia could be imposed only after an investigation could find out the perpetrator. However, the German government is facing growing pressure to reconsider Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline, one of the two Russian projects in Europe to supply gas to Germany.

Nord Stream 2 is considered as a key part project to deliver gas to Europe via Baltic. The two Russian pipelines are expected to start soon to increase its supply to European countries which will bolster Russia’s position strategically. Norbert Roettgen, head of Germany's parliamentary foreign affairs committee, told German radio that the government must pursue hard politics and speak the only language Russian President Vladimir Putin understands. 

"If the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is completed now, it would be the maximum confirmation and encouragement for Putin to continue this kind of politics," Roettgen had told German television earlier.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that are no grounds to accuse Russia behind the attack on Navalny. He said that the talks of thwarting Nord Stream 2 are based on emotions, adding that the project was a commercial one which benefited Russia, Germany and Europe.

“We don’t understand what the reason for any sanctions could be,” said Peskov.

Berlin’s Charité University hospital said in a statement that the Russian leader is in a stable condition and symptoms of poisoning caused by cholinesterase inhibition have reduced. It stressed that the long-term consequences of the poisoning cannot be predicted as his condition remains serious.

Read: German Doctors Find Soviet-era Nerve Agent Novichok In Alexei Navalny's Samples

Read: Kremlin Critic Navalny In Stable Condition, No Serious Threat To Life: Spokesperson