US President Joe Biden has called for a war crimes trial against Russian President Vladimir Putin and said he would seek more sanctions after the crackdown in Ukraine. “You saw what happened to Bucha,” Biden said, calling Putin a “war criminal.”
Biden’s remarks to reporters came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited a town near Bucha, the capital, Kyiv, where Ukrainian officials said civilian bodies had been found. Zelensky called Russia’s actions “genocide” and called on the West to impose tougher sanctions on Russia.
However, Biden described these actions as genocide. Ukraine’s Prosecutor General, Irina Venediktova, said that 410 civilian bodies were removed from cities in the Kyiv region recently retaken by Russian forces.
Associated Press reporters found the bodies of at least 21 people in the Bucha district, northwest of Kyiv. “We must continue to provide Ukraine with the weapons it needs to continue the fight, and we must piece together all the details to make it a real trial … war crimes,” Biden said.
Biden also described Putin as “cruel”. “What is happening in Bucha is scandalous and everyone can see it,” he added.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted on Monday that the EU was “ready” to send investigators to Ukraine to help the local prosecutor “document war crimes”. Biden noted that he faced setbacks last month when hospitals and maternity wards in Ukraine were bombed when he called Putin a war criminal.
In his remarks Monday, Mr. Biden made clear that etiquette still applies. An investigation into Putin’s actions has been opened ahead of new allegations of atrocities outside Kyiv.
The United States and more than 40 countries are working together to form a commission of inquiry into potential violations and abuses following the adoption of a resolution by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Another investigation was conducted by the International Criminal Court, an independent body based in the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, Biden’s chief envoy to the United Nations, Ambassador Linda Thomas Greenfield, said the United States intends to suspend Russia’s work at the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. This will require a decision by the United Nations General Assembly.
Russia and the other four permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – Great Britain, China, France and the United States – currently hold seats on the 47-member Geneva Human Rights Council. The United States rejoined the council this year.
Source: Belfastlive
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
