US threatens to restrict funds for 'malign activities' over Navalny's poisoning

The United States told the UN Security Council on September 10 that it work with allies to hold people accountable for the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, including through “restricting funds for malign activities.” Citing toxicological test results, German health authorities had confirmed the poisoning of Navalny with a Soviet-style nerve agent from the Novichok group.

"Alexei Navalny’s poisoning by a chemical weapon is completely reprehensible, and we condemn this action in the strongest possible terms," said Cherith Norman Chalet, the deputy US ambassador to the United Nations.

She told the council that the Russian people have a right to express their views without fear of retribution of any kind. She said that any use of chemical weapons under any circumstances is unacceptable and contravenes the international norms prohibiting the use of such weapons.

Norman Chalet urged Russia to be fully transparent cooperate with the international community’s probe into this latest attack. The ambassador reiterated that the use of chemical weapons presents an “unacceptable security threat” to all states, urging the members of the Council to not stay silent. 

“Wherever the evidence leads, we will work with allies and the international community to hold perpetrators accountable, including through restricting funds for malign activities,” she asserted during a Security Council briefing on Syria Chemical Weapons.

Read: Russian Critic Alexei Navalny 'can Talk Again' After Waking Up From Induced Coma: Reports

Read: Pompeo Says 'substantial Chance' Of Russian Officials Behind Navalny's Poisoning

Russia defends its stance

Russian ambassador to UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said that the doctors who initially treated Navalny and “saved” his life did not find any chemical weapon substances in his analyses. Nebenzia told the 15-member council that Russia has received no evidence from Germany that would prompt Kremlin to open an investigation.

Earlier on September 9, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said that was a “substantial chance” that senior Russian officials were behind the suspected poisoning of Navalny. Pompeo told the Ben Shapiro radio program that the European Union and the United States have made it clear to the Russians that they expect Kremlin to hold people accountable behind the poison attack.

“There is a substantial chance that this actually came from senior Russian officials, I think this is not good for the Russian people,” said Pompeo as per the transcript published by the State Department.

Read: Russia Says ‘disinformation’ Over Navalny’s Poisoning Being Used For New Sanctions

Read: G7 Foreign Ministers Strongly Condemn 'confirmed Poisoning' Of Navalny