Navalnaya Is “an Advocate of Imperial Russian Claims,” Says German Lawmaker

Bundestag lawmaker Roderich Kiesewetter criticized Yulia Navalnaya's statements about Ukraine, saying she has “no empathy whatsoever” for the Ukrainian victims of Russia’s war of aggression.

Kiesewetter stated that to the German outlet BILD, commenting on Navalnaya’s recent interview with Die Zeit.

The international expert of the Christian Democratic Union Roderich Kiesewetter stressed that Navalnaya "has no sympathy for the Ukrainian victims." 

When asked if she considers the supply of weapons to Ukraine to be the right decision, Navalnaya replied: "It's hard to say. The bombs hit the Russians as well." 

In response to a question about her assessment of Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, Yulia Navalnaya remarked:

"This situation has two sides. Such attacks will further unite the Russian people and strengthen Putin's power," she said. 

Yet, Navalnaya insists in the conversation that the war is “Putin’s war” alone. When challenged with the reality that ordinary Russian soldiers are carrying out brutal attacks on Ukrainians daily, she responds, “Of course people are fighting. But it is his war.” Still, Navalnaya acknowledges that Russia will eventually need to apologize to Ukraine.

"It is obvious that she does not understand Ukraine's legitimate right to self-defense, which clearly allows and supports Ukraine's military offensive on Russian territory," Kiesewetter said.

Kiesewetter concluded that Navalnaya is “not a credible contact for responsible politics within the framework of international law,” describing her instead as “an advocate of imperial Russian claims.”

Yulia Navalnaya is the widow of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in a Russian prison in February 2024 and is considered by many the new leader of Russia’s opposition. Last week, Navalnaya told the BBC of her plans to run for the Russian presidency once Putin is no longer in power.