WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden on Wednesday ratcheted up his attack on Russia‘s President Vladimir Putin, upgrading charges of “war crimes” by him in Ukraine to a “genocide,” a classification that could have legal implications if pursued to its logical end.
Biden first appeared to use the term casually in a speech in Iowa, saying that Americans’ ability to pay for gas should not “hinge on whether a dictator declares war and commits genocide half a world away,” but latter confirmed to reporters that his use of the term was intentional, saying, “I called it genocide because it’s become clearer and clearer that Putin is just trying to wipe out even the idea of being Ukrainian. The evidence is mounting.”
The formal definition of genocide recognized by the United Nations deems it to be a deliberate attempt to destroy an ethnic, national, racial, or religious group, whether through actions like murder, causing serious bodily harm, preventing births, or forcibly taking children away from parents.
While the State Department has shied away from using the term so far, Biden has pushed ahead, suggesting it is his personal view for now and a legal review of the matter will follow.
“More evidence is coming out of the horrible things that the Russians have done in Ukraine. And we’re going to only learn more and more about the devastation,” Biden said, adding, “We’ll let the lawyers decide internationally whether or not it qualifies, but it sure seems that way to me.
The US has made only eight determinations of genocide including, in recent years, to describe Chinese government’s treatment of Uyghurs and the Myanmar military’s treatment of the Rohingyas.
Russia reacted strongly to Biden’s descriptions, saying “This is hardly acceptable from a president of the United States, a country that has committed well-known crimes in recent time.” But the designation found support from Ukraine’s President Voldymyr Zelenskyy , who tweeted, “Calling things by their names is essential to stand up to evil.”
“We are grateful for US assistance provided so far and we urgently need more heavy weapons to prevent further Russian atrocities,” he added.
Biden first appeared to use the term casually in a speech in Iowa, saying that Americans’ ability to pay for gas should not “hinge on whether a dictator declares war and commits genocide half a world away,” but latter confirmed to reporters that his use of the term was intentional, saying, “I called it genocide because it’s become clearer and clearer that Putin is just trying to wipe out even the idea of being Ukrainian. The evidence is mounting.”
The formal definition of genocide recognized by the United Nations deems it to be a deliberate attempt to destroy an ethnic, national, racial, or religious group, whether through actions like murder, causing serious bodily harm, preventing births, or forcibly taking children away from parents.
While the State Department has shied away from using the term so far, Biden has pushed ahead, suggesting it is his personal view for now and a legal review of the matter will follow.
“More evidence is coming out of the horrible things that the Russians have done in Ukraine. And we’re going to only learn more and more about the devastation,” Biden said, adding, “We’ll let the lawyers decide internationally whether or not it qualifies, but it sure seems that way to me.
The US has made only eight determinations of genocide including, in recent years, to describe Chinese government’s treatment of Uyghurs and the Myanmar military’s treatment of the Rohingyas.
Russia reacted strongly to Biden’s descriptions, saying “This is hardly acceptable from a president of the United States, a country that has committed well-known crimes in recent time.” But the designation found support from Ukraine’s President Voldymyr Zelenskyy , who tweeted, “Calling things by their names is essential to stand up to evil.”
“We are grateful for US assistance provided so far and we urgently need more heavy weapons to prevent further Russian atrocities,” he added.
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