Newsman: President Biden on Tuesday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of committing”genocide” in Ukraine. The president made the accusation in a speech at an ethanol fuel plant in Iowa, where he blamed the Russian invasion for higher gas prices.
“Your family budget, your ability to fill up your tank, none of it should hinge on whether a dictator declares war and commits genocide a half a world away,” Biden said.
Asked later what made him use the word “genocide,” Biden replied, “Yes, I called it genocide. It has become clearer and clearer that Putin is just trying to wipe out the idea of even being — being able to be Ukrainian.
Biden said evidence against Putin and the Russian military was mounting.
“The — more evidence is coming out of the — literally, the horrible things that the Russians have done in Ukraine. And we’re going to only learn more and more about the devastation,” he said. “And we’ll let the lawyers decide internationally whether or not it qualifies, but it sure seems that way to me.”
More than 1,800 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began on Feb. 24, according to the Office of the U.N High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Last month, the U.S. said that it will help to investigate any war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine, though neither the United States nor Russia are signatories to the Rome Statute or members of the International Criminal Court.
