PARIS: France will summon the Russian ambassador to Paris following the death of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, reported Le Monde newspaper, citing comments made by French foreign minister Stephane Sejourne during a trip in Argentina.
“I have asked to summon the Russian ambassador today,” Sejourne said, according to Le Monde.
Yesterday, Germany had also summoned Russia’s ambassador in Berlin over the death of Navalny.
Navalny, 47, died suddenly on Friday after a walk at the “Polar Wolf” penal colony above the Arctic Circle where he was serving a three-decade sentence, the prison service said.
Western countries and Navalny’s supporters say Russian president Vladimir Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death.
The Kremlin has denied involvement and said that western claims that Putin was responsible were unacceptable.