Biden describes Putin’s actions in Ukraine as ‘genocide’ for first time
April 13, 2022, 7:50 am

Biden describes Putin’s actions in Ukraine as ‘genocide’ for first time

Joe Biden-US president-Shutterstock

The Financial Times reported, US president Joe Biden referred to Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine as “genocide” for the first time, in an apparent escalation in the White House’s rhetoric against Russia.

Speaking at an event in Iowa on Tuesday to promote his administration’s efforts to cut the cost of petrol for US consumers, Biden said: “Your family budget, your ability to fill up your tank, none of it should hinge on whether a dictator declares war and commits genocide half a world away.”

The report said that the comments marked a major shift for the US president, who previously stopped short of calling atrocities in Bucha and elsewhere “genocide”, instead accusing Putin of committing “war crimes”.

Several incinerated bodies of civilians, including that of one child, were found in the cellar of a house in Husarovka village (Kharkiv Oblasr) after it was liberated from Russian occupation. The Russians did this deliberately, as no houses burned (File photo: Euromaidan via Sergei Loiko)

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan earlier this month told reporters the US had “not yet seen a level of systematic deprivation of life of the Ukrainian people to rise to the level of genocide”.

Volodymyr Zelensky described Biden’s comments as the “true words of a true leader”, in a tweet directed to the US president’s Twitter handle.

Vladimir Putin : Talks with Ukraine have reached a 'dead-end situation'

Ukraine’s president wrote in his message: “Calling things by their names is essential to stand up to evil,” .

Source: financialtimes

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.