On 15 September 2020, Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of a stronger Europe in the World, participated in the Plenary Session of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, where he gave a closing statement on the situation in Belarus, Lebanon and Russia, the poisoning of the Opposition Leader, Alexei Navalny.

On this occasion, Josep Borrell Fontelles addressed three important issues: the elections of 9 August 2020 considered as fraudulent, the call on the Belarusian authorities to find a way out of the crisis by ending the violence and unlawful detentions and by establishing an inclusive national dialogue, and the EU's commitment to strengthening the engagement with the Belarusian people and civil society.

As regards Alexei Navalny, Josep Borrell Fontelles stated that the German Government confirmed on 2 September 2020 that he was poisoned by a military chemical.

Josep Borrell Fontelles ended his statement by touching upon the possibility of a sanction in Russia with a kind of Magnitsky-style regime. Since he took office, he immediately launched a global human rights sanctions regime. He added that, in the same way that the Americans speak of Magnitsky legislation, this could be called the Navalny sanctions regime. This could be a good way of taking stock of what is happening and to keep on the record for the future the fact that Mr Navalny’s name is associated with a sanctions regime for people who have violated human rights.