US President Donald Trump said he had not yet seen proof that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned, as stated by the German government.
“I don’t know exactly what happened. I think it’s tragic, it’s terrible, it shouldn’t happen,” Mr Trump told a press conference.
“We haven’t had any proof yet, but I will take a look at it.”
Mr Trump said he heard that Germany had made a finding that Mr Navalny, who fell ill on a Siberian flight last month, had been poisoned with the deadly Novichok nerve agent.
Since then, Europe has threatened new sanctions and NATO called for an international investigation into the alleged attempted assassination.
Germany has briefed its NATO partners and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said there was “proof beyond doubt” that Mr Navalny was poisoned with Novichok.
“We have not seen it ourselves,” Mr Trump said of the evidence from German investigators. Based on what Germany is saying that seems to be the case, he added.
“I would be very angry if that’s the case,” he said.
Mr Trump did not say what action he would take if he became convinced that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most potent political opponent had been the victim of a murder plot.
But he said he has been “tougher on Russia than anybody else by far”.
At the same time, Mr Trump said, he considered ongoing nuclear arms negotiations with Moscow more important than any other issue.
“It’s the most important thing,” he said.
