Barrot: Putin may use nerve agent against his own citizens

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Saturday that, according to the latest Western findings, President Vladimir Putin is willing to use chemical weapons even against his own citizens.

He referred to the joint statement by the governments of Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands, according to which Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a deadly nerve toxin in a penal colony two years ago.

Russia denies any responsibility for Navalny's death. Barrot wrote on Twitter that Navalny died after being poisoned with one of the deadliest nerve agents and that Putin is "ready to use chemical weapons against his own people" to maintain power.

(reuters, lud)