The European Union is outraged by the death of the Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, for which the ultimate responsibility lies with President Putin and the Russian authorities.

Today at the Foreign Affairs Council we expressed our deepest condolences to his wife Yulia Navalnaya, their children, family, friends and all those who worked with him for the benefit of their country.

Russia must allow an independent and transparent international investigation into circumstances of his sudden death. The EU will spare no efforts to hold Russia’s political leadership and authorities to account, in close coordination with our partners; and impose further costs for their actions, including through sanctions.

Throughout his life, Mr Navalny demonstrated incredible courage, dedication to his country and his fellow citizens and determination, with his anti-corruption work across Russia, a message that attracted many across the country. This is why Putin and his regime were afraid of him, also in the context of Russia’s ongoing illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and the Russian Presidential elections in March.