Biden marks ‘Armenian genocide,’ aims to stop ‘atrocities’

US President Joe Biden commemorates the 107th anniversary of the start of the “Armenian genocide,” issuing a statement in memory of the 1.5 million Armenians “who were deported, massacred or marched to their deaths in a campaign of extermination” by Ottoman Empire forces. Turkey says Biden’s declaration is ”incompatible with historical facts and international law.”

Biden’s statement does not mention the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which Biden has called a genocide. Yet Biden uses the anniversary to lay down a set of principles for foreign policy as the United States and its allies arm Ukrainians and impose sanctions on Russia.

“We renew our pledge to remain vigilant against the corrosive influence of hate in all its forms,” the president says. “We recommit ourselves to speaking out and stopping atrocities that leave lasting scars on the world.”