“Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death. What has happened to Navalny is more proof of Putin’s brutality,” President Joe Biden said shortly after the news broke. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose country has been fighting off Russia’s invasion for two years, said “it’s obvious” that Putin killed him.

Russian authorities handed Navalny’s body over to his mother and wife on Saturday, according to a spokesperson for Navalny.

“Alexei’s body was
handed over to his mother,” Kira Yarmysh, Navalny’s spokeswoman, said on X. “Many thanks to all those who demanded this with us.”

“The funeral is still pending,” Yarmysh said. “We do not know if the authorities will interfere to carry it out as the family wants and as Alexei deserves,” she added.

Navalny’s mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, previously said that authorities attempted to make her agree to a private funeral, or else risk having her son buried in the penal colony where he was imprisoned.

When asked whether Russia should allow for a public funeral for the opposition leader, Sullivan said the decision should be up to Navalny’s mother.

“I think the president believes that any mother deserves the funeral for their child that they would like. That should be a basic human thing, not a question of policy,” Sullivan said.