“As for the specific measures we would take, we look at a variety of different costs that we would impose,” Sullivan said. “And I’m not going to telegraph this publicly at this time, but I have communicated that there will be consequences if Mr Navalny dies.”
Navalny was arrested on his return to Russia in January and has been on hunger strike for several weeks. Navalny’s doctor warned on Saturday that the opposition leader “can die at any time”.
Navalny blames Moscow for his poisoning by a nervous agent last year, which Russia has denied. The United States imposed sanctions on Russia in March for poisoning Navalny.
Biden denounced Russia’s treatment of Navalny on Saturday.
“It’s totally, totally unfair,” Biden said, according to a White House report. “Totally inappropriate.”
But Sullivan has been pressured by host Dana Bash as to why Biden is not asking for Navalny’s release or providing medical care at “every opportunity”, including in a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week or in announcing sanctions. against Russia on Thursday. Sullivan responded that the Biden administration sees diplomatic channels as the best way to plead on Navalny’s behalf.
“In fact, we have issued a direct communication to the Russian government on this issue – including both how we see it, how our allies and partners see it, and what could happen … if it passes – and I judged that rather than just making general public statements, the best way to deal with this issue is privately and through diplomatic channels, directly at the higher levels of the Russian government, “Sullivan said.
Sullivan declined to discuss whether a potential summit between Biden and Putin could be canceled in the event of Navalny’s death. Biden proposed a summit “in the coming months” in his appeal to Putin, according to a reading of the White House conversation.
“There is currently no summit on books,” Sullivan said. “It’s something we’re talking about and that summit should, of course, take place under the right circumstances, in a way that could actually advance the relationship.”