Washington: us President Joe Biden said Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has clearly committed war crimes And the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant for him was justified.
Earlier on Friday, the ICC sought Putin’s arrest on suspicion of illegal deportation of children and illegal transfer of people from Ukraine to Russia since Moscow launched its invasion of the neighboring country last year. The United States is not a member of the ICC.
“He clearly committed war crimes,” Biden told reporters, referring to Putin.
Referring to the warrant, Biden said, “Well, I think that’s appropriate.” “But the question is – it’s not even recognized internationally by us. But I think it’s a very strong point.”
The United States separately concludes that Russian forces committed war crimes in Ukraine and supports accountability for perpetrators of war crimes, a State Department spokeswoman said in an emailed statement.
The spokesman said, “There is no doubt that Russia is committing war crimes and atrocities (in Ukraine), and we have been clear that those responsible must be held accountable.” “This was a decision which the ICC Prosecutor reached independently on the basis of the facts before him.”
The ICC’s move obliges the court’s 123 member states to arrest Putin and transfer him to The Hague for trial if he sets foot on their territory. The ICC on Friday also issued a warrant against Russia’s Commissioner for the Rights of the Child, Maria Lvova-Belova, on the same charges.
A US-backed report last month by Yale University researchers said Russia held at least 6,000 Ukrainian children in at least 43 camps and other facilities as part of a “large-scale systematic network”.
Russia has denied allegations that its military committed atrocities during its invasion. The Kremlin said on Friday that the ICC’s arrest warrant against Putin was outrageous, but made no sense in relation to Russia.
Earlier on Friday, the ICC sought Putin’s arrest on suspicion of illegal deportation of children and illegal transfer of people from Ukraine to Russia since Moscow launched its invasion of the neighboring country last year. The United States is not a member of the ICC.
“He clearly committed war crimes,” Biden told reporters, referring to Putin.
Referring to the warrant, Biden said, “Well, I think that’s appropriate.” “But the question is – it’s not even recognized internationally by us. But I think it’s a very strong point.”
The United States separately concludes that Russian forces committed war crimes in Ukraine and supports accountability for perpetrators of war crimes, a State Department spokeswoman said in an emailed statement.
The spokesman said, “There is no doubt that Russia is committing war crimes and atrocities (in Ukraine), and we have been clear that those responsible must be held accountable.” “This was a decision which the ICC Prosecutor reached independently on the basis of the facts before him.”
The ICC’s move obliges the court’s 123 member states to arrest Putin and transfer him to The Hague for trial if he sets foot on their territory. The ICC on Friday also issued a warrant against Russia’s Commissioner for the Rights of the Child, Maria Lvova-Belova, on the same charges.
A US-backed report last month by Yale University researchers said Russia held at least 6,000 Ukrainian children in at least 43 camps and other facilities as part of a “large-scale systematic network”.
Russia has denied allegations that its military committed atrocities during its invasion. The Kremlin said on Friday that the ICC’s arrest warrant against Putin was outrageous, but made no sense in relation to Russia.