Donald Trump claims he has not seen proof of Navalny novichok poisoning

The US has not "seen any proof" that Alexei Navalny was poisoned with novichok, Donald Trump has said.

The US president said that the situation with the Russian anti-corruption campaigner was "tragic... terrible" and "shouldn't happen", but declined to condemn Russia over the alleged poisoning.

When asked how the US would react, Mr Trump said: "We have to look at it very seriously. If that's the case, and I think we will. I don't know exactly what happened.

"We haven't had any proof yet, but I will take a look."

This is despite German officials and a NATO-approved laboratory proving "beyond doubt" that Mr Navalny, a Russian politician and prominent Kremlin critic, was poisoned with the deadly nerve agent.

Mr Trump's comments contrast with other international leaders and Trump administration officials who have condemned the alleged poisoning.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have both expressed their deep concern and called for answers from Russia.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman, pressed on whether sanctions could be imposed on Russia or diplomats expelled, did not explicitly blame Moscow and said he would not "pre-empt what might happen next".

He said the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons would play a key role in investigating what he described as an "attempted murder" and said the UK had offered support to the German investigation.

The UK's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab added that the poisoning was “utterly deplorable and a violation of international law”.

He tweeted: “Have just spoken with [German] FM @HeikoMaas – we agreed that [Russian] gov must explain what happened and international partners must work together to support an investigation into this attack.”

Meanwhile US National Security Council spokesperson John Ullyot said this week: "The United States is deeply troubled by the results released today. Alexei Navalny's poisoning is completely reprehensible. Russia has used the chemical nerve agent Novichok in the past.

"We will work with allies and the international community to hold those in Russia accountable, wherever the evidence leads, and restrict funds for their malign activities."

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany slammed the "reprehensible" poisoning on Thursday and added: "Russia has used chemical nerve agents in the past, and we're working with our allies and the international community to hold those in Russia accountable wherever the evidence leads and restrict funds for their malign activities."

But Russian authorities have appeared reluctant to investigate Mr Navalny’s condition, saying there had so far been no grounds for a criminal investigation.

Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev said a preliminary inquiry was ongoing, but added that he saw no signs of a crime in what happened to Mr Navalny.

President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman has brushed off allegations the Kremlin was involved in poisoning Mr Navalny and said Germany had not provided Moscow with any evidence about the politician’s condition.

“We have nothing to hide,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday, asserting that German authorities had stonewalled Russian requests for information.

Mr Lavrov said the failure to provide information about Mr Navalny’s poisoning could indicate a lack of evidence.

“Our Western partners allow themselves to make arrogant demands in such a tone that suggests that they have nothing but pathos to put on the table,” he said.

Mr Navalny is being treated at a Berlin hospital after becoming sick on a flight to Moscow from the Siberian city of Tomsk last month.

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