Ukraine’s defense minister urges EU to brand Putin a ‘war criminal’

BRUSSELS — Ukraine’s defense minister calls on EU lawmakers to recognize Russian President as a “war criminal” and urges the bloc to step up arms supplies to fight Moscow’s forces.

The demand came after US President Joe Biden sparked Kremlin fury yesterday by dubbing the Russian leader a “war criminal” for his forces’ bombings of Ukrainian cities.

“It’s not simply a war. It’s state terror. The regular army of the aggressor is conscientiously annihilating the civil population,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov tells EU legislators via videolink.

“I’m appealing to all European Parliamentary members to recognize that Putin is a war criminal, as has been done in the United States.”

Reznikov points to the ferocious assault on the southern port city of Mariupol and the bombing of a theatre, where authorities say some 1,200 women and children were sheltering.

He says over 400 schools, 110 hospitals and 1,000 residential blocks across Ukraine have been destroyed in the three weeks since Putin launched the invasion.

Ukrainian resistance and logistical problems have stalled Russia’s push for a lightning victory. Reznikov claims more than 14,000 Russian soldiers have been killed.

The defiant minister insists that Kyiv’s outgunned troops will eventually triumph over the Kremlin’s larger forces — but called on Europe to help supply more weapons.

“We will win. It’s a question only of the price which the Ukrainian people will pay,” Reznikov says.

“The Russians can be stopped, victory can be gained, but we need assistance.”

He calls for more financial help “very quickly” to help Ukraine acquire a raft of hardware including jets, armored vehicles, anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems.

The 27-nation EU has already stumped up 500 million euros ($550 million) to provide arms to Kyiv and there is a proposal to add an extra 500 million.