During his visit to Slovakia, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio confirmed that the United States does not contest the recent report indicating that Russia was responsible for the murder of opposition leader Alexei Navalny using a potent toxin sourced from the golden poison dart frog. This statement comes after a collaborative announcement from various European nations, including the UK, France, Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands, which attributed Navalny's death to the presence of epibatidine—a deadly neurotoxin found in samples taken from his body.

Navalny died on February 16, 2024, while incarcerated in a Russian IK-6 penal colony, which has prompted significant international outcry and condemnation towards the Russian Federation. The joint statement from the aforementioned countries explicitly holds Russia accountable for Navalny's death, stating that the evidence found in his biological samples confirms the toxin's presence. In response, Russia has vehemently denied these allegations, labeling the claims as Western propaganda aimed at undermining its credibility on the global stage.

Senator Rubio pointed out that the absence of a U.S. endorsement of the joint statement does not imply a denial of the report's findings by the United States. Following his meeting with Slovakian President Peter Pellegrini and Prime Minister Robert Fico, Rubio is set to meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, reinforcing the U.S. commitment to addressing the geopolitical implications of Navalny's demise and ensuring accountability for human rights violations committed under the Russian regime.