President Biden met with the widow and daughter of the late Alexei Navalny on Thursday in California, following the loss of the Russian opposition leader.
Biden said Friday that there was “no doubt” that Navalny's death was a “consequence of something that Putin and his thugs did.”
After Navalny's death, Russian officials claimed he was not feeling well after going for a walk to the penal colony where he was imprisoned in Siberia before passing out and dying.
Biden posted on social media Thursday about meeting in San Francisco with Yulia and Dasha Navalnaya, Navalny's wife and daughter, respectively.
BIDEN, AFTER NAVALNY'S DEATH, SAYS 'HE DOESN'T DOUBT' THAT 'PUTIN AND HIS THUGS' WERE BEHIND THIS
President Biden meets with Alexei Navalny's widow (right) and daughter on Thursday in California. (POTOS-X)
“Today I met with Yulia and Dasha Navalnaya — [Alexei] “To Navalny's loved ones, to express my deepest condolences for your devastating loss,” Biden posted on X. “[Alexei’s] “The legacy of bravery will live on in Yulia and Dasha, and in the countless people across Russia who fight for democracy and human rights.”
The White House said in a statement that the Biden administration plans to announce new sanctions against Russia on Friday “in response to [Alexei’s] death, Russia's repression and aggression and its brutal and illegal war in Ukraine.
Biden spoke briefly to reporters Thursday about their meeting.
GEN. KEANE SAYS PUTIN BELIEVES US AND EUROPE 'KNEEL' ON UKRAINE
President Biden met with the widow and daughter of the late Alexei Navalny on Thursday in California. (POTUS-X)
“I had the honor of meeting Aleskey Navalny's wife and daughter. To state the obvious, he was a man. Incredible courage. And it's amazing how his wife and daughter are emulating that,” the president said. “And tomorrow we will announce the sanctions against Putin, responsible for his death. And one thing that I left, that was clear to me, is that Yolanda [Yulia] She's going to… she's going to continue fighting in every way. So we're not going to give in.”
Following Navalny's death last week, Yulia took to a stage normally reserved for senior politicians in Munich and vowed that Putin and his allies would be brought to justice for the death.
He later solemnly promised: “I will continue the work of Alexei Navalny.”
NAVALNY WAS SEEN SMILING AND LAUGHING IN COURT ROOM VIDEO ONE DAY BEFORE HIS DEATH
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny with his wife, Yulia, in Moscow in 2013. (AP/Evgeny Feldman/File)
The statement was ambitious, especially from a woman who once said during an interview with the Russian edition of Harper's Bazaar that her “key task” was to take care of the couple's children and their home.
Now, his job will be to lead the Russian opposition in one of the darkest and most turbulent times in the country's history.
Shortly after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, Switzerland, back in 2021, Biden was asked what would happen if Navalny died while in Russian custody.
'THERE IS NO RIGHT TO SURRENDER': YULIA NAVALNAYA, NOW A WIDOW, EMERGES AS THE NEW LEADER OF RUSSIA'S OPPOSITION
Russian President Vladimir Putin (Alexander Kazakov/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images/File)
“I made it clear to him that I think the consequences of that would be devastating for Russia,” Biden said at the time.
Last week, Biden was asked about that comment.
“That was three years ago,” Biden said. “In the meantime, they faced a lot of consequences.”
Biden was referring to the losses of Russian troops in the war in Ukraine and the international sanctions imposed against his government.
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“I just want to say, 'God bless Alexei Navalny,'” Biden concluded. “His bravery will not be forgotten.”
Fox News Digital's Greg Norman contributed to this report.
