Biden calls Putin 'a war criminal'
PremiumWhite House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden was ‘speaking from his heart’ after seeing images on television of ‘barbaric actions by a brutal dictator through his invasion of a foreign country’
President Joe Biden called Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a "war criminal" on Wednesday over his bloody invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
"I think he is a war criminal," Biden told reporters.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden was "speaking from his heart" after seeing images on television of "barbaric actions by a brutal dictator through his invasion of a foreign country."
Putin ordered a large-scale invasion of Ukraine three weeks ago, saying Russia wants to force the disarmament of Ukraine's military and topple the pro-Western government.
Ukraine's military, backed by a heavy flow of Western weapons, has fought back, largely stalling the Russian advance. Russian troops have turned increasingly to bombardments of civilians, prompting three million Ukrainians to become refugees.
Psaki said the US State Department already has "a legal process that is ongoing" on examining Russia's actions.
This was the first time Biden has used the phrase "war criminal" for Putin. Later Wednesday, he renewed his rhetorical attack, tweeting that "Putin is inflicting appalling devastation and horror on Ukraine -- bombing apartment buildings and maternity wards."
Referring to reports that Russian troops took hostage doctors and patients in a Mariupol hospital, Biden said, "These are atrocities. It is an outrage to the world."
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