French President Emmanuel Macron urged his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to clarify the circumstances of the "attempt to kill" the prominent opposition, Alexei Navalny, after French and Swedish tests confirmed that Novichok nerve gas was used against him, according to What announced the Elysee.
On the other hand, Putin denounced the accusations directed against Russia regarding the poisoning of Navalny, saying that it was "baseless," in his response to Macron.
Macron said in a phone call to Putin that "clarifying all the circumstances of the attempt to kill him (Navalin) and the parties responsible for it is imperative," according to a statement issued by the French presidency.
He told Putin that the analyzes conducted by France confirm Germany´s conclusions that Navalny was poisoned with the nerve gas Novichok, which "contradicts international standards on the use of chemical weapons."
The German government reported earlier that laboratories in France and Sweden had confirmed Berlin´s findings that Navalny had been poisoned with Novichok.
The Elysee confirmed that Macron "expressed his full solidarity with Germany regarding the steps that must be taken."
He indicated the need to obtain "clarification from Russia as part of a transparent and credible investigation."
But Putin considered that "baseless and unfounded accusations targeting the Russian side are not welcome." He again called on Berlin to provide "biological samples" that allowed German experts to detect the presence of a Novichok-type substance in Navalny´s body.
