#Alexei Navalny asks Trump to condemn use of nerve agent

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny is calling on President Trump to join other world leaders in denouncing the banned Soviet-era nerve agent he says Russian leader Vladimir Putin used to poison him, according to a report.

The 44-year-old dissident, who was discharged Sept. 23 from a German hospital, spoke with CBS News’ Lesley Stahl in Berlin in his first US television interview since he was poisoned Aug. 20 during a domestic flight in Russia.

Asked if he believes Putin directed the attack, Navalny said, “I don’t think. I’m sure that he is responsible.”

On Monday, the European Union agreed to impose sanctions against Russian officials over the incident.

The EU foreign ministers agreed with calls by France and Germany at a meeting in Luxembourg to freeze the assets of those suspected of poisoning Navalny and ban them from traveling in Europe under sanctions to combat the use of chemical weapons.

“I have noticed [Trump] didn’t,” Navalny told Stahl for the “60 Minutes” edition that airs Sunday.

“I think it’s extremely important– that everyone… maybe… first of all, president of United States, to be very again[st] using chemical weapons in the 21st century,” he added.

Navalny said he believes the Novichok attack on him also was meant to terrify others.

“It’s a banned substance. I think Putin… he’s using this chemical weapon… [to ]both kill me and, you know, terrify others. It’s something really scary,” he said.

“Where the people just drop dead… no gun… no shots… you’ll be dead and without any traces on your body. It’s something terrifying. And Putin is enjoying it,” Navalny added.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the accusation was “completely baseless and unacceptable.”

Navalny said: “They deny everything because it means that they still have this Novichok. They’re not just violating [the chemical weapons ban] with keeping it. They… continue to improve it.”