Newsman: The United States President Joe Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin “a war criminal” For the first time in public on Wednesday, for his continued assault on Ukraine and killing hundreds of civilians.
“I think he is a war criminal,” Biden said in response to a question from a reporter after delivering remarks at the White House on the reauthorization of the Violence against Women Act.
The president initially told a reporter “no,” when asked if he was ready to label Putin a war criminal “after everything we’ve seen,” but moments later Biden circled back, asking her to repeat the question, which he appeared to have “I think he is a war criminal,”
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at an afternoon press briefing the president was “speaking from his heart and speaking from what you’ve seen on television, which is barbaric actions by a brutal dictator through his invasion of a foreign country.”
The State Department has said it is reviewing Russia’s actions for potential war crimes; a legal process Jen Psaki said is ongoing.
Earlier this month, Biden said it was “clear” Russian forces were targeting civilian areas but said that it was too early to label the actions war crimes.
