European Union Foreign Ministers To Discuss Navalny's Arrest On January 25 - Borrell

European Union Foreign Ministers to Discuss Navalny's Arrest on January 25 - Borrell

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th January, 2021) The foreign ministers of the European Union's member states will discuss the ongoing situation surrounding Russian blogger Alexey Navalny at an upcoming Foreign Affairs Council meeting on January 25, the bloc's top diplomat Josep Borrell said Tuesday.

A Moscow court on Monday ruled to keep Navalny in custody for 30 days in relation to his role in a fraud case involving the French cosmetics brand Yves Rocher after the blogger arrived at Sheremetyevo airport in the Russian capital one day before.

Navalny had been in Germany undergoing treatment after he was allegedly poisoned with a nerve agent this past summer.

"The arrest of Navalny will be discussed in the relevant bodies in the Council. We expect it to be raised at the upcoming Foreign Affairs Council on January 25. We will continue following closely the situation and consider its implications. Any further listing on sanctions ...

are subject to a decision of the Council by unanimity under the proposal of some member states," Borrell said during an appearance in the European Parliament.

Six Russian officials have already been hit with sanctions over claims that Moscow was involved in the alleged poisoning of the opposition figure, and the bloc's top diplomat said that more punitive measures could be on the horizon.

"The European Union will do whatever it takes, including through restrictive measures, if the member states consider them appropriate," Borrell stated.

Western countries have issued statements calling for Navalny's release. Commenting on these calls, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that certain members of the international community were attempting to shift attention away from the crisis facing the liberal model of development.

Lavrov noted that his Western counterparts were clearly "happy" to churn out almost-identical statements.