Biden meets Navalny's widow, sets sanctions
The president expressed his condolences to the family of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny


What happened?
President Joe Biden met with Yulia and Daria Navalnaya, the widow and daughter of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, in San Francisco to "express his heartfelt condolences" for Navalny's death in a Russian prison and to preview Friday's retaliatory "major new sanctions against Russia," the White House said. In Russia, Navalny's mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, said she was "secretly" shown her son's body, told his death was from "natural causes," and warned she could only bury him if she agreed to a "secret funeral."
Who said what?
"By law, they're supposed to give me Alexei's body immediately," but "instead, they are blackmailing me," Lyudmila Navalnaya said. Russian President Vladimir Putin "is responsible for his death," Biden said. "We are not letting up."
The commentary
Biden's visit with Navalny's widow and the Kremlin's wrangling over his remains underscore "how pivotal a figure he is in Russian politics and around the world," and how nervous he makes the Kremlin — "even in death," The New York Times said. "It is hard to surprise us," said Navalny aide Ivan Zhdanov. But it's still shocking "a mother would be blackmailed with a rotting body in order to bring it to Moscow and bury it in secret."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
The new sanctions on 500 targets aim to further "damage and isolate Russia's economy" after its Ukraine invasion and Navalny's death, the Times said. But so far Russia has "largely weathered the restrictions," thanks largely to record oil purchases by China, India and Brazil.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Rubio says US brokered end to Syria conflict
Speed Read Syria's defense ministry was targeted in Israeli attacks on the capital
-
Trump threatens Russia with 'severe tariffs'
speed read The president also agreed to sell NATO advanced arms for Ukraine
-
IDF blames 'error' for strike on Gaza water line
Speed Read Israeli forces attack Palestinians, including children, collecting water in central Gaza
-
Iran still has enriched uranium, Israeli official says
Speed Read It remains unclear how long it would take Iran to rebuild its nuclear program following US and Israeli attacks
-
Wonsan-Kalma: North Korea's new 'mammoth' beach resort
Under the Radar Pyongyang wants to boost tourism but there won't be many foreign visitors to Kim Jong Un's 'pet project'
-
Trump U-turns on weapons to Ukraine
Speed Read Unhappy with Putin, Trump decides the US will go back to arming Ukraine against Russia's attacks
-
The Swedish church at the centre of a Russian spy drama
Under The Radar The Russian Orthodox Church is accused of being an 'active tool' of Moscow's 'soft power'
-
Ukraine scrambles as Trump cuts weapons deliveries
Speed Read The halting of weapons shipments was driven by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, a Ukraine funding skeptic