It is good that all countries now have the results of the analysis conducted by the OPCW in black and white.

For us, it was important to place this analysis in the hands of this international organisation. We submitted a request for assistance and have now received an answer. The OPCW confirms unequivocally what laboratories in Germany, Sweden and France have already proved: that Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a chemical nerve agent from the Novichok group.

The OPCW will make its results – and as far as possible its analysis – available to all 193 of its member states. That is significant, because this is not a bilateral issue between Germany and Russia. It is an international issue. The use of a nerve agent concerns the entire international community.

In this case, we were the ones who had to communicate the bad news, because Mr Navalny was admitted to the Charité hospital in Berlin with symptoms of poisoning, where thankfully it was possible for his life to be saved.

We will now discuss the next steps with our partners within both the OPCW and the European Union.

It goes without saying that any use of chemical weapons is totally inacceptable and demands a Response.