From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
Biden calls Putin a war criminal, in harshest US condemnation yet
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleUS President Joe Biden says Russian President Vladimir Putin is a war criminal, in the sharpest condemnation yet of Putin and Russian actions by a US official since the invasion of Ukraine.
While leaving an unrelated event, a reporter asks Biden if he is ready to call Putin a war criminal. “No,” Biden responds and walks off.
Sometime later he returns to the reporter to clarify what she had asked, and responds that “I think he is a war criminal.”
Biden calls Putin "a war criminal" https://t.co/kt8U7chDp7 video via @quicktake pic.twitter.com/Iu5NKX1AvJ
— Bloomberg (@business) March 16, 2022
He leaves before answering any other questions.
While other world leaders have used the term, the White House had been hesitant to declare Putin’s actions those of a war criminal, saying it was a legal term that required research.
AP contributed.
The Times of Israel Community.