France: Navalny Poisoning Shows Putin Ready to Use Nerve Agents on Own People

PARIS, Feb 14 (Reuters) – ⁠French ⁠Foreign Minister Jean‑Noel ⁠Barrot on Saturday said ​President Vladimir Putin was willing to ‌use chemical weapons ‌against Russians, citing latest ⁠Western ⁠conclusions that Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was ​poisoned with a lethal nerve agent.

The governments of Britain, France, ​Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands said ⁠in a ⁠joint statement they ⁠had ​concluded that Navalny had been poisoned ​with a ⁠lethal toxin in a penal colony two years ago. The Russian government has denied ⁠any responsibility for Navalny’s death.

“Two years ago, Alexei ⁠Navalny died from poisoning caused by one of the deadliest nerve agents. We now know that Vladimir Putin is prepared to use chemical weapons against his own people ⁠to maintain his grip on power,” Barrot said in remarks on X.

(Reporting by John Irish, ​writing by Leigh ThomasEditing ​by Tomasz Janowski)

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