WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on March 2 following the Biden administration’s announcement that it will impose a new wave of sanctions on multiple Russian government officials and entities in response to the Kremlin’s attempted murder of anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny:

“Today’s announcement sends a clear signal of accountability that the United States will not turn a blind eye to those who use these terrible weapons, especially against their own people. It also sends an important message of solidarity with our European allies who have taken similar steps in response to this brutal attack.

“These designations mark an important first step in ensuring we once again stand with our allies against Kremlin aggression and for the international norms against chemical weapons. However, substantial work remains in restricting the ability of corrupt Russian actors to continue accessing the U.S. financial system and I expect the administration to take additional measures to shore up our financial defenses against dirty Russian money. Alexei Navalny leads a seminal movement across Russia, exposing Putin cronies who steal from the Russian people. We shouldn’t make his job harder by letting those thieves access the western financial system.

“After four years of Donald Trump’s kowtowing to Putin, getting our sanctions regime back on track will demonstrate our rejection of Russia’s lawless behavior and resolve to change it.”