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After Navalny's death was reported on Friday, Biden directly
blamed Russian leader Vladimir Putin, as did Trump's main rival
for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, Nikki Haley.
Trump did not mention Navalny until a Monday post on his Truth
Social platform that did not cast blame or express remorse, but
alluded to his own legal problems as persecution and called the
United States a nation in decline.
"The former president, Trump, and other Republicans, refuse to
hold Putin accountable for his death," Biden said. "Instead,
Trump said Navalny's death made him realize how bad America was.
"He said and I quote, 'We are a nation in decline, a failing
nation.' Why does Trump always blame America? Putin is
responsible for Navalny's death. Why can't Trump just say that?"
Biden said earlier Tuesday the United States will announce a
major package of sanctions against Russia on Friday over the
death of Navalny.
Trump, the Republican frontrunner, is likely to face Democrat
Biden in a rematch in November's presidential election.
In an interview Tuesday with Fox News, Trump praised Navalny as
"very brave" for voluntarily returning to Russia in 2021 from
Germany, where he underwent treatment for what Western
laboratory tests showed evidence of a Russian nerve agent.
However, the former U.S. president also second-guessed that
decision.
"He probably would have been a lot better off staying away and
talking from outside of the country, as opposed to having to go
back in, because people thought that (death) could happen and it
did happen," Trump said.
During his 2017-2021 tenure in the White House, Trump drew
criticism for his praise of Putin. Last week, he suggested the
United States might not protect NATO allies who do not spend
enough on defense from a potential Russian invasion.
Biden on Tuesday called the NATO comments dangerous. "It does
nothing but encourage bad behavior," Biden said.
Biden folded the criticism into a video posted in Twitter in
which he urged Republicans who control the House of
Representatives to pass emergency security assistance for
Ukraine in its war against Russia.
"We have to stand up to Putin," Biden said.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
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