Biden’s claim: Putin is a war criminal

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday for the first time called Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal.

“I think he (Putin) is a war criminal,” he said.

“Biden’s use of the word shows a change in the previous position of the US government,” CNN wrote. U.S. officials, including Biden, have previously denied direct use of terms such as “war crimes” and “war crimes.”

But US officials have openly stated that they believe that crime is being committed in Ukraine and that deliberately targeting civilians is a war crime.

White House spokesman Jen Saki said after Biden’s speech that the president’s remarks were self-evident. Biden spoke honestly.

He said the State Department’s investigation into war crimes in Ukraine was ongoing.

Asked if Putin was a war criminal, Biden initially said “no”, but immediately returned to reporters to explain the question. When asked again by reporters if Putin was a war criminal, the president responded in the affirmative.

According to IRNA, Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 21 (March 2) recognized the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics in the Donbas region, criticizing the West’s indifference to Moscow’s security concerns.

Three days later, on Thursday, March 26, he announced the launch of a “special military operation” against Ukraine, turning tense Moscow-Kiev relations into a military confrontation. Conflicts in Ukraine and reactions to Russia’s actions continue.