Navalny
Navalny
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is dead.
Dead at the hands of Russian authorities who had incarcerated him in a remote Siberian prison.
Dead at the hands of Vladimir Putin.
In August 2020 Navalny was hospitalized in Germany after being poisoned by Russian agents with Novichok, a Russian nerve agent. Then German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Navalny was a victim of attempted murder, adding there were “serious questions that only the Russian government can and must answer”.
After recovering in a German hospital, Navalny decided to return to Russia to continue his fight against Putin’s regime. He was arrested upon arrival in Moscow and sentenced to a 19-year prison term. He reportedly died after “feeling unwell” on Friday and collapsing at his prison, according to prison officials.
Navalny knew full well that returning to Russia would allow Putin’s thugs to finish the job that they had begun in 2020. Well imprisoned in Putin’s hands, it was only a matter of time for his fate to be sealed and his life to be terminated.
Navalny died on the very day that world leaders were gathered in Munich for the Munich Security Conference. Leaders decried Putin’s action and held him responsible for Navalny’s death.
According to SKY News, US President Joe Biden said he is "contemplating" steps to punish Moscow after he blamed Vladimir Putin and his "thugs" for the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. “Make no mistake. Putin is responsible for Navalny's death."
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described Mr. Navalny as the "fiercest advocate for Russian democracy", while Canadian leader Justin Trudeau said his passing is a reminder of "exactly what a monster Putin is".
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed "anger and indignation" over Mr Navalny's death, adding that Russia is a place where "free spirits are put in the gulag and sentenced to death".
He said the treatment of Mr Navalny shows the "weakness of the Kremlin and their fear of all opponents".
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Mr Navalny's death makes clear "what kind of regime this is" and that he had "probably now paid for (his) courage with his life".
But, talk is cheap.
Strong and direct actions are required.
Sanctions should not be targeted only at a number of senior Russian leaders and olligarchs. Rather, they should include all Russians. All assets owned by Russians abrod should be confiscated and used as war reparations for Ukraine.
Some countries like Canada and the U.S. are already contemplating ways to do so. Other countries, like Belgium and Switzerland (home to billions in Russian depositis) appear reluctant to do so.
All Russians should be banned from travel abroad. Countries that allow Russians to enter their territory should face strong consequences as well.
While this could make an impact on the tourism and real estate industries in a number of countries, it would underscore to all Russians that, as long as Putin rules, there is no place for them in the civilized world.
All direct and indirect trade with Russia must be suspended until Putin is gone.
These measures obviously entail some hardship for all of us. But if the global community is serious in its determination to rid the world of Putin and his cronies, we must be ready to bear the costs.
Since there should be no tourism or business with Russia, all Russian consulates and trade offices should be closed and their officials expelled. All Russian financial centers and cultural facilities should be closed and their officials expelled.
As well, since relations will be at a minimum, all Russian embassies should be limited in staff to those whom the receiving states believe are essential to maintain minimum diplomatic coontact.
Finally, all known and potential Russian military and intelligence officers should be expelled immediately and illegals sought out ruthlessly.
At home, the current reluctance of Republicans in the U.S. Congress and Canadian Conservatives, among others, to provide Ukraine with strong support in its war against Russian aggresion has only fed his impunity and strength.
The support of Russian assets like Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Donald Trump and the Republican Party makes a mockery of any attempt to replace Putin with a more favorable regime.
Orban’s Hungary should be suspended from both NATO and the European Union .
Trump’s recent invitation to Putin to attack NATO allies is a prime example of how Russian assets in the West undermine all of our actions to rid the world of this dictatorship.
Countries like Canada should immediately raise their military spending to 2% of GDP to ensure that NATO can deal with Russia with or without the U.S..
The international community must respond to Navalny’s death with strong action.
We must think outside of traditional diplomatic boxes in order to convince Ruyssians that regime change is the only viable choice.
With strength rather than hesitency.
Force is the only language that Putin understands, and eventually that could well motivate Russians themselves to revolt and replace the regime.
Anything less will make a mockery of Navalny’s death.