France: Navalny poisoning shows Putin ready to use nerve agents on own people

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.