Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov clarified that President Vladimir Putin did not confirm negotiations had taken place regarding the release of opposition figure Alexei Navalny before his death. Peskov stated that Putin had merely agreed in principle to a suggestion of a swap involving Navalny but did not indicate that formal negotiations were underway, describing Putin's comments as flippant. This clarification comes amid reports and speculation about potential prisoner swap discussions involving Navalny, with the Biden administration denying any deal to exchange Navalny for Krasikov. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also commented, noting that Russian officials had not raised Navalny's name in any discussions about a prisoner swap. The situation has sparked various interpretations, with some suggesting Putin's comments were intended to provoke or troll, especially given the sensitive nature of Navalny's case.
Kremlin clarifies Putin’s comments on Navalny swap There were no talks between Russia and the West about exchanging the opposition figure before his death, spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said https://t.co/CDpikfBcdT https://t.co/Jr9zh7vS5l
.@JakeSullivan46: "We have not heard a Russian official raise Navalny as part of the prisoner swap in any of those conversations. So if this is something they were interested in, certainly it sounds like they're coming quite late, too late, obviously since he's no longer alive." https://t.co/4qjBpiK1Fl
.@JakeSullivan46 on President Putin's claim that Navalny was part of a prisoner swap discussion: "We have not heard a Russian official raise Navalny as part of a prisoner swap in any of those conversations..." https://t.co/HVtra8swCs
I think the best reading of Putin’s comments last night is that he was trolling/teasing Team Navalny, which seems to exaggerate the progression of talks on a possible prisoner swap including Navalny. With his flippant remarks about the proposal, Putin is pouring salt on wounds. https://t.co/PROMftHlVq
There's a lot of back and forth after Putin's comments last night regarding a Navalny prisoner swap and Peskov's denial. I wrote about this on February 27: according to the Biden administration there was *no deal* to exchange Navalny for Krasikov. https://t.co/6bnb7gi6ee https://t.co/fVfGhI8Tf0
Shit-stirring, throwing petrol on the fire, trolling...pick your term, but Russia knows an opportunity when it sees one. https://t.co/Ih7OxwVmvJ
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says "Putin didn't confirm negotiations were held" about releasing Navalny. "He said someone put forward an idea about swapping him, he potentially agreed and told the person who put the idea forward. He didn't say there were negotiations." https://t.co/92I430xK5M
Putin’s spokesman says the president wasn't confirming Team Navalny's reports of negotiations underway for Navalny's exchange but was merely saying that he had endorsed the proposed idea in principle. In other words, Putin is trolling. Vile. https://t.co/IFthXfZNN8 https://t.co/L5vrSmlmOD