CNN senior White House correspondent MJ Lee asked President Joe Biden on Monday whether Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's blood is “on the hands” of House Republicans due to lack of support for Ukraine. .

Navalny died on Friday at the age of 47 in a prison high above the Arctic Circle, where he had been imprisoned since 2021.

“Mr. President, would you go so far as to say that Alexei Navalny's blood is now on the hands of House Republicans?” Lee asked on the White House lawn early Monday morning.

“I wouldn't use that word,” Biden replied. “They would be making a big mistake not to respond. Look, look at how they move away from the Russian threat, look at how they move away from NATO, look at how they move away from fulfilling our obligations. It's shocking. I've been here for a while. I've never seen anything like this.”

Lee also said he asked the president whether he expected Navalny's death to “prompt” Republicans to “take action” such as increasing aid to Ukraine. (Related: 'Fox & Friends' segment heats up as host Lawrence Jones discusses with network reporters)

“I know my second question was a little difficult to ask, but I wanted to ask whether you think Mr. Navalny's death will have any effect on provoking House Republicans to act,” Lee said. “Clearly he didn't seem very optimistic. He also told another reporter that the United States is considering additional sanctions against Russia, but the president did not provide any additional details when he spoke to reporters.” He said he did not do so.

At a press conference on Friday, the president used Navalny's death to attack House Republicans who refused to pass the bill. it would provide It pledged $95 billion to Ukraine, Taiwan and Israel, and called on them to “step up” and pass aid packages before going into a two-week recess.

“Two weeks. They're gone. Two weeks,” Biden told reporters. “What are they thinking? My God. This is strange. And it just adds to the concern — I wouldn't say panic, that the United States is a reliable ally. Almost a real concern — this is outrageous.”

Biden promised in 2021 that there would be “significant consequences” for Russia if Navalny died in prison.

“But make no mistake: President Putin is responsible for Mr. Navalny's death. President Putin is responsible,” Biden said at a press conference Friday. “What happened to Mr. Navalny is further proof of Mr. Putin's brutality. No one should be fooled.”