Alexey Navalny's body, German Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a statement in which she called Navalny's poisoning an attempt to silence him: "Someone tried to silence [Mr Navalny] and in the name of the whole German government I condemn that in the strongest terms." Merkel said that "Mr. Navalny ha[d] been the victim of a crime" which "raise[d] very serious questions that only the Russian government c[ould] and must answer". The European External Action Service in a statement condemned the poisoning and said that it is "essential that the Russian government investigates thoroughly and in a transparent manner the assassination attempt of Mr Navalny". Boris Johnson demanded that Russia provide an explanation and said that he considered it "outrageous that a chemical weapon was used against Alexey Navalny." He promised to "work with international partners to ensure justice is done." Jean-Yves Le Drian condemned the "shocking and irresponsible" use of a Novichok poisoning agent and said it was in violation of the ban on the use of chemical weapons. The Italian Foreign Ministry "condemned with force" the poisoning of Navalny, called this act a "crime", and, expressing "profound concern and indignation", demanded an explanation from Russia. Stephen Biegun stated that the U.S. finds the German conclusion about the use of Novichok "very credible” and "deeply concerning". Navalny's chief of staff, Leonid Volkov, stated "In 2020, poisoning Navalny with Novichok is the same as leaving an autograph at the scene of the crime". On 3 September, the European Council called the incident an "assassination attempt". After the German government concluded that Navalny was poisoned by Novichok, the wife of British policeman Nick Bailey, who was exposed to Novichok after the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, tweeted, "It's been almost years after the events in Salisbury and there has been no justice for Dawn and her family and none for the Skripals, Charlie or us. And now it's happened again". On 4 September, Jens Stoltenberg stated: "Time and again, we have seen opposition leaders and critics of the Russian regime attacked, and their lives threatened. Some have even been killed. So this is not just an attack on an individual, but on fundamental democratic rights. It is a serious breach of international law, which demands an international response." He also asked the Russian authorities to fully cooperate with an impartial international investigation. On 5 September, Donald Trump announced that the United States