France warns Russia of sanctions if critic Navalny dies

France's foreign minister told Russia on Thursday that the European Union would hold President Vladimir Putin and Russian authorities directly responsible if hunger-striking Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny died and it would impose new sanctions.

Speaking to France 2 television, Jean-Yves Le Drian also said he did not believe Russia wanted to launch a military operation in eastern Ukraine despite massing thousands of troops on the border.