Comforting embrace

Biden met Navalny’s widow and daughter: “Was an honor”

The US President embraced the widow Yulia Navalnaya.

(Bild: AFP )

At a personal meeting in California, US President Joe Biden took time to express his condolences to the widow and daughter of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who died in custody. He expressed his admiration for their resilience - a picture also shows him comforting widow Yulia Navalnaya in his arms.  

Biden published pictures of the meeting with Yulia Navalnaya and her 23-year-old daughter Darya on X on Thursday. He wrote that Navalny's legacy will live on through the two of them and the "countless people across Russia who are fighting for democracy and human rights".

The USA intends to announce new sanctions against Russia on Friday in response to the death of the Russian opposition politician and the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, which has been going on for two years. It is a "comprehensive package of sanctions", announced the communications director of the US National Security Council, John Kirby. Biden confirmed his plans at the meeting with Navalny's widow and daughter, it was reported.

Darya (23), Joe Biden and Yulia Navalnya at the private meeting.

(Bild: AFP)

Biden: "Man of incredible courage"
The meeting took place off camera. Afterwards, he told members of the press: "I had the honor of meeting Alexei Navalny's wife and daughter. He was a man of incredible courage and it is extraordinary to see his wife and daughter emulating him."

According to the authorities, Navalny died in a Siberian prison camp on February 16. The politician, weakened by a poison attack in 2020 and repeated solitary confinement in the camp, is said to have collapsed during a tour of the icy prison yard and died despite resuscitation attempts. He was 47 years old at the time of his death. The cause of death is unclear.

Biden holds Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin responsible for Navalny's death. Although it is not known exactly what happened, there is no doubt that Navalny's death was a consequence of Putin's actions and those of "his criminals", Biden said last Friday after the news of his death became public.

Both women want to continue Navalny's fight
Following the death of her husband, Yulia Navalnaya announced that she would continue his fight against the Kremlin boss's system. In the past, Darya Navalnaya had also repeatedly made political demands for the release of her imprisoned father and had also given speeches in his honor at award ceremonies. She is studying at Stanford University in the USA. Yulia Navalnaya also has a 15-year-old son.