Alexei Navalny, Russia’s most prominent opposition leader, died in a remote penal colony in 2024 while serving a lengthy prison sentence.

Now, Western governments say forensic testing found epibatidine — a powerful toxin associated with poison dart frogs — in his system. The joint findings from multiple European nations point to the use of a rare and highly lethal chemical compound.

Russia denies involvement. But international law is clear: the deliberate use of chemical agents against individuals is prohibited.

Navalny had previously survived a poisoning in 2020 involving a military-grade nerve agent. His death has become a symbol of the dangers faced by political dissidents in authoritarian regimes.

The United States must not ignore this moment.

Accountability does not mean recklessness. It means standing for international norms, chemical weapons prohibitions, and the protection of political prisoners worldwide.

We call on President Donald Trump to publicly and unequivocally hold Russia accountable for the murder of Alexei Navalny, to support international investigations, and to ensure consequences for any confirmed violations of international law.

When chemical weapons are used against political opponents, silence is not neutrality.

Justice for Navalny. Accountability for Russia.