Topline
President Joe Biden on Monday called for a war crimes trial against Russian President Vladimir Putin and said more sanctions against the country would follow after Russia’s alleged civilian massacre in Bucha, Ukraine, and as the European Union is reportedly preparing their own additional set of sanctions.
Key Facts
Biden on Monday told reporters he was calling for a war crimes trial against Putin after Ukrainian officials Sunday said they had found hundreds of dead civilian bodies in the town of Bucha, according to a White House pool report.
“You saw what happened in Bucha,” Biden told reporters, according to the the Associated Press, calling Putin once again “a war criminal” and arguing he should be “held accountable” for his crimes, according to CNBC.
Biden said he would seek more sanctions as a result of the Bucha massacre.
The White House has to “gather the information” in order to have a war crimes trial, Biden said, according to the White House pool report.
Crucial Quote
“This guy is brutal, and what’s happening in Bucha is outrageous and everyone’s seen it,” Biden told reporters, according to the White House pool report.
Key Background
Biden first called Putin a “war criminal” last month. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also accused Russia of committing war crimes. Biden re-upped the accusation Monday following reports that Ukrainian officials had discovered 410 dead civilian bodies in the suburbs outside Kyiv since Russian soldiers were forced to withdraw from the area. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky went to visit the site of the alleged massacre Monday, where photos by the Associated Press show corpses of civilians scattered around Bucha, with some appearing to have been shot with their hands tied behind their backs. The events have sparked outrage internationally, with the U.S. Monday calling for Russia’s removal from the United Nations Human Rights Council. The European Union also is reportedly preparing an additional set of sanctions that may target oil and gas imports in response to the event, the Financial Times reported.
What To Watch For
Additional sanctions. The U.S. and its allies have already imposed a host of measures against the Kremlin for its invasion of Ukraine, including a pledge from Biden to ban Russian gas and oil imports. Other potential targets for the U.S. could include Russia’s mining and transport sectors as well as measures targeting countries that continue to trade with Russia.
Further Reading
Biden calls to put Putin on trial for war crimes over Russia's actions in Ukraine (CNBC)
Biden: Putin Should Face War Crimes Trial for Bucha (Associated Press)
