Mr. Navalny -– an icon of russian opposition to putin — has perished while being held as a political prisoner in russia. Just like for earlier attempts to poison him, the responsibility for Mr. Navalny’s death — state-executed murder — goes directly to putin.
Mr. Navalny is one of many victims of the dictatorial system that blatantly violates human rights, despises the dignity of its opponents, and disregards international norms. The same cruel system is responsible for the imprisonment of numerous russian citizens who protested against the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. After russia illegally occupied Ukrainian Crimea, Crimean Tatars protested the annexation of their motherland, and over a hundred of them remain in russian prisons.
If history is any guide, negotiating with putin’s russia on Ukraine will lead to more suffering and death, as the dictator will not stop aggression until russia is defeated.
Nova Ukraine continues to support the Ukrainian people and strengthen Ukraine’s democratic society. We remain committed to independent Ukraine where freedom, peace, and prosperity are accessible to all.
We urge the House to respond to Mr. Navalny’s death by passing the urgently needed Ukraine aid as part of the supplemental funding bill approved by the Senate. It’s a step toward stopping the aggression against a nation striving for peace and democracy.