MOSCOW. Feb 5 (Interfax) - High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell said that, while meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday, he called for freeing Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny and investigating his poisoning.
"My visit coincided with the arrest and sentencing of Alexei Navalny, and the arrests of thousands of demonstrators. As you can expect, I have conveyed to Minister Lavrov our deep concern and reiterated our appeal [for] his release and the launch of an impartial investigation of his poisoning," Borrell said at a press conference on Friday.
While the EU respects Russia's sovereignty, it is of the view that "issues related to the rule of law, human rights, civil society, and political freedom are central to our common future, both for the European Union and Russia," Borrell said.