US President Joe Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal” as he left an event at the White House that was also attended by the press. This is the most severe condemnation of Putin and Russia’s actions so far by a US official since the invasion of Ukraine. Jen Psaki, spokesman for the White House, said on the incident that Biden was “speaking from his heart”, watching the ” barbaric actions of a brutal dictator who has invaded a foreign country” . The State Department, Psaki added, is conducting its formal investigation into war crimes.
The Kremlin has called the rhetoric of US President Joe Biden unacceptable and unforgivable , The agency close to the Russian government Ria Novosti writes. “We consider this rhetoric by the US Head of State, whose bombs killed hundreds of thousands of people around the world, unacceptable and unforgivable,” said Russian leader Dmitry Peskov’s press secretary.
On his social media accounts, the American president then wrote: “Putin is inflicting appalling devastation and horrors on Ukraine, bombing apartment buildings and maternity wards. Yesterday we read reports that Russian forces were holding hundreds of doctors and patients hostage. These they are atrocities . It is an outrage to the world. ”
Putin is inflicting appalling devastation and horror on Ukraine — bombing apartment buildings and maternity wards.
Yesterday, we saw reports that Russian forces were holding hundreds of doctors and patients hostage.
These are atrocities. It is an outrage to the world.
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 16, 2022
Previously, US President Joe Biden, in a speech, responded to requests for more military aid made by Ukrainian Prime Minister Zelensky in videoconference with the US Congress.
Zelensky’s speech for Biden was a “passionate, convincing and meaningful message”, the Ukrainian premier “speaks for a people who have shown remarkable courage and strength in the face of brutal aggression. Courage and strength that have inspired not only Ukrainians. but the whole world “
Another two hundred million dollars in aid have been added by the White House, Biden announced, which added to the other 800 million already allocated, leads to “one billion dollars in aid” to Ukraine. Biden explained that the allocated funds correspond to “a direct transfer of equipment from our Defense Department to the Ukrainian army to help them fight against the invasion”. The will of the United States is to allow the “defense of Ukrainian airspace”.
“He asked us for aid and military means and that is what we will do – said the US president – we take Putin’s threats very seriously, we had already provided aid before the invasion. We are committed to supplying arms to Ukraine, nor we will provide others “.
Today, @POTUS announced an $800M assistance package to help Ukraine defend their country against Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion.
This brings the total U.S. security assistance committed to Ukraine to $1B in the past week and a total of $2B since @POTUS took office.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 16, 2022
Drones are also included in the new military aid package to Ukraine . “This new package alone will provide unprecedented assistance to Ukraine. The president then specified that the new package” includes 800 anti-aircraft systems to ensure that Ukrainians can continue to stop Russian planes and helicopters from they attack them. “Among the weapons promised by the head of the White House, there are also 9,000 shoulder-mounted anti-tank missile systems , 7,000 small arms , including machine guns, rifles and grenade launchers, 20 million ammunition. The new aid also includes Javelin anti-tank missiles and other anti-aircraft defensive weapons such as Stinger missiles.
But Biden did not refer to Zelensky’s pressing demands, again repeated today in his speech to Congress, regarding the no fly zone and fighters.
Today, @POTUS announced an $800M assistance package to help Ukraine defend their country against Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion.
This brings the total U.S. security assistance committed to Ukraine to $1B in the past week and a total of $2B since @POTUS took office.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 16, 2022
Words that are still very harsh towards the Russian president: “Putin is immoral and unethical”, his is a war waged to “satiate the appetite of an autocrat, the hostages in Mairupol are an atrocity” .
“Putin is inflicting devastating devastation on Ukraine”. Biden condemned the bombing of “buildings, hospitals, maternity wards. We are determined to make Putin pay a high price”.
The US president then reiterated that economic pressures on Russia will be intensified: “This is our goal, to make Putin pay the price, weaken his position and strengthen that of the Ukrainians on the battlefield and at the negotiating table”.
Last week, Congress approved $ 13.6 billion in aid to Ukraine, split between humanitarian aid and military assistance. “We will support the Ukrainian economy with direct financial assistance and, together with our allies, we will maintain pressure on Putin’s collapsing economy, isolating him on the world stage.” Regarding the progress of the conflict, he said Biden further promised: “We will do more in the coming days and weeks” promising that “there will never be” Russia’s victory in Ukraine , regardless of what their military does.
“I want to be honest – said the US president – this could still be a long and difficult battle.”