TLDR:
- Alexei Navalny was a powerful force for democracy and human rights who defied the Kremlin until his death in a prison camp.
- Navalny’s vision for economic transformation in Russia included measures that foreign investors had been advocating for years.
Edward Verona, a former U.S. diplomat and president of the U.S.-Russia Business Council, reflects on his interactions with Navalny and highlights how Navalny’s fight against corruption and calls for economic reform could have significant implications for U.S. investors. Navalny’s platform included demonopolizing the economy, privatizing state enterprises, and reducing the tax burden on small businesses. Despite facing Putin’s attempts to discredit him, Navalny’s legacy remains as a beacon of light in exposing the corruption within the Putin regime.