Canada announced fresh sanctions targeting six senior Russian officials on Sunday, ramping up pressure on Moscow over imprisoned Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny’s death last year.
Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said the latest sanctions aim at high-ranking figures in Russia’s prosecutorial, judicial, and corrections services involved in human rights violations surrounding Navalny’s case. Navalny was the most prominent opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Thousands gathered for Navalny’s funeral in Moscow on Saturday amid heavy police presence and restrictions, mourning the loss of Putin’s fiercest critic. Canada’s sanctions keep his case in focus while signaling ongoing condemnation of Russia’s authoritarian crackdowns on dissent.
Israel Boycotts Gaza Ceasefire Talks Over Hostage Information
Meanwhile, Israel opted out of attending Gaza ceasefire negotiations in Cairo on Sunday after Hamas allegedly declined to provide specifics on Israeli citizens held hostage in the Palestinian territory. An unnamed Israeli official said “there is no reason” to send a delegation without clarity from Hamas on the hostage situation.
Egypt has been brokering talks for a possible six-week Gaza truce ahead of Ramadan. But both sides are sticking firmly to demands so far, despite US pressure to halt clashes. Hamas officials arrived for discussions in Cairo, though the absence of an Israeli team on Sunday casts doubt over the chances of a timely agreement before the violence escalates further.
The developments depict the complex dynamics between multiple fraught relationships in the region, from Navalny’s suspicious death aggravating Canada’s tensions with the Kremlin to the elusive Israel-Hamas ceasefire pointing to ongoing instability.
