President Biden calls for war crimes trial against Vladimir Putin

On Monday, President Joe Biden called for evidence to be collected in order to put Russian President Vladimir Putin on trial for war crimes in relation to Russia’s invasion of its neighbor, Ukraine.

Tensions between the two nations had been mounting for several months prior to the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February.

“He is a war criminal,” Biden said regarding Putin, not long after reports were released of mass killings of civilians by Russian-controlled troops in the town of Bucha. Bucha is just northwest of Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv.

“This guy is brutal, and what’s happening in Bucha is outrageous and everyone’s seen it,” the president continued in a statement to reporters. His comment came just the day after video and still images showed the town’s streets filled with dead bodies. “I think it is a war crime. … He should be held accountable.”

Furthermore, Biden said he is planning on adding additional sanctions on Russia over its conduct during the war, which started with a February 24th invasion. When a reporter asked him about the nature of those potential sanctions, the president replied with, “I’ll let you know.”

Jake Sullivan, the national security advisor, later told reporters on Monday at the White House that those sanctions would be announced this week. “Russia will pay a severe price,” said Sullivan. “We have communicated to them directly. We have coordinated with our allies and partners and I’m not going to go for the specifics here.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously accused Russian forces of carrying out a genocide, saying Ukrainians are being “destroyed and exterminated.”