International

Biden calls Putin a ‘war criminal’

Published

2 years ago

March 17, 2022

Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post President Biden signs an authorization for assistance to Ukraine. In attendance were Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley.

President Biden explicitly called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal” Wednesday, after weeks of avoiding the term and at a time when his administration is still determining whether that label officially applies.

Biden made the dramatic accusation seemingly off the cuff, in response to a reporter’s shouted question at an afternoon event on an entirely different topic. “I think he is a war criminal,” Biden said, after delivering comments on the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

The asseveration was emblematic of the day’s high emotions and dramatic agenda, which were driven by a forceful speech to Congress delivered by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, rather than by Biden’s own carefully laid plans and message.

Biden watched Zelensky’s 9 a.m. address from the private library of his White House residence, absorbing an emotional plea that invoked both Pearl Harbor and Sept. 11 — two deadly attacks on the United States that came from the sky — and beseeched the president to close the skies above Ukraine.

“Our country experienced the same every day, right now, at this moment, every night for three weeks now,” Zelensky said, speaking to lawmakers via video with the help of an interpreter.

Almost exactly four hours later, Biden responded with own remarks praising Zelensky’s “passionate” and “significant” speech, outlining the help his administration is providing Ukraine and announcing significant new aid. But he also made clear that the crux of Zelensky’s appeal — a no-fly zone above Ukraine — remains a nonstarter for the United States.

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Biden’s comments, which began more than an hour after initially scheduled and ran half the length of Zelensky’s entreaty — eight minutes to Zelensky’s 16 — underscored the fluid dynamic between the two leaders, with Biden (wearing a suit, subdued, age 79) finding himself, for one of the first times since Russia invaded Ukraine, clearly in response mode to Zelensky (clad in military green, resolute, age 44).

“The American people are answering President Zelensky’s call for more help, more weapons for Ukraine to defend itself, more tools to fight Russian aggression,” Biden said.

His comments at times took on an almost defensive tone, as he noted that the United States had been equipping Ukraine since before the invasion, that American weapons have helped the Ukrainians inflict significant damage and that the $800 million in new aid he was announcing would include “cutting-edge systems” such as drones.

Starting with Russia’s initial buildup on the Ukrainian border last fall, Biden and his team took the lead in trying to avert Russian aggression against its neighbor. The administration worked with NATO and other Western allies to deter Putin through diplomatic channels and the threat of sanctions. And Biden himself signed off on a new strategy to declassify intelligence, sharing it with the world in an attempt to thwart Putin’s ability to use a false pretext to invade Ukraine.

The White House even launched a secretive “Tiger Team” to plan for how to handle a Russian invasion.

Indeed, if Russia’s bellicosity offered any silver lining, it was that Putin helped catapult Biden back into a position in which he is most comfortable, serving as a transatlantic leader and declaring — both literally and symbolically — that America is back after four years of chaos and alliance-busting under Donald Trump.

But since the actual war between Russia and Ukraine began three weeks ago, Biden and his European counterparts have articulated no clear end game, and Wednesday’s Biden-Zelensky juxtaposition offered something of a split screen, with the U.S. president and his team trying to explain why the administration was falling short on meeting Zelensky’s stirring request.

The Ukrainian leader ended his speech by switching to English and calling out Biden directly: “You are the leader of the nation, of your great nation,” Zelensky said. “I wish you to be the leader of the world. Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace.”

In response, Biden found himself explaining at great length what he has already done to support Ukraine and announcing that he is authorizing an additional $800 million in security assistance, noting that it brought the total to $1 billion “just this week” and to $2 billion since the start of his administration.

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“This new package on its own is going to provide unprecedented assistance to Ukraine,” Biden said. “It includes 800 antiaircraft systems to make sure the Ukrainian military can continue to stop the planes and helicopters that have been attacking their people and to defend the Ukrainian airspace. And at the request of President Zelensky, we have identified and are helping Ukraine acquire additional longer-range antiaircraft systems and the munitions for those systems.”

The White House reported that the $800 million in new assistance includes 800 Stinger antiaircraft systems; 2,000 Javelin, 1,000 light anti-armor weapons, and 6,000 AT-4 anti-armor systems; 100 Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems; 100 grenade launchers, 5,000 rifles, 1,000 pistols, 400 machine guns and 400 shotguns; more than 20 million rounds of small-arms ammunition and grenade launcher and mortar rounds; 25,000 sets of body armor; and 25,000 helmets.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki was repeatedly pressed on why the administration has been willing to provide Ukraine lethal assistance, such as Javelin antitank missiles and Stinger surface-to-air missiles, while repeatedly refusing Zelensky’s requests for Polish MiG fighter jets.

The administration has sought to draw a careful line between defensive and offensive weapons, arguing that the latter risked setting off a direct confrontation with Russia that could turn into a larger war.

“I would note that the equipment that we’ve provided is defensive, as you know, not offensive,” Psaki said. “And we see that as being a difference.”

And again, several minutes later, Psaki offered: “Javelins and Stingers are defensive weapons. MiGs or planes are offensive weapons, which are a different type of military system.”

But Poland has offered to provide fighter planes to the United States for use in Ukraine, a notion that has some bipartisan support on Capitol Hill. Immediately after Zelensky’s speech, several Republican lawmakers weighed in with calls for the Biden administration to send Zelensky the MiGs he wants.

“Zelensky has the courage of his convictions. The question he asked the Congress and the United States government is will we have the courage of ours,” said Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.). “We’re a superpower — we should act like it.”

Asked about a no-fly zone, Sasse added: “We should have gotten them planes long ago.”

And referring to a video Zelensky showed Congress that included footage of his country being decimated, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) offered a similar assessment.

“I don’t know how anyone could listen to him and see the videos and not be in favor of sending the MiGs, sending drones, sending additional weaponry, ceasing doing business in Russia and implementing his call for broader sanctions,” Collins said.

As for Biden’s unexpected comment that Putin is a war criminal, Psaki depicted it as a heartfelt remark. “The president’s remarks speak for themselves,” she said. “He was speaking from his heart and speaking from what we’ve seen on television, which is barbaric actions by a brutal dictator through his invasion of a foreign country.”

She reiterated Wednesday that the State Department is conducting a legal review to determine whether the actions in Ukraine are war crimes. “If Russia is intentionally targeting civilians, that would be a war crime,” she said last week in disclosing the inquiry. “But we need to go through the legal assessment and review in order to make a formal conclusion.”

Vice President Harris endorsed a war crimes inquiry last week, speaking during a visit to Poland, saying, “Absolutely there should be an investigation, and we should all be watching.” And in The Hague, the prosecutor’s office at the International Criminal Court recently announced that it was looking into the Ukraine situation.

But neither the international court nor the U.S. government has formally concluded that Russia’s actions constitute war crimes, making Biden’s seemingly spontaneous assertion Wednesday all the more striking.

Psaki emphasized that the administration has been in regular contact with the Ukrainians, saying that while Biden is not prepared to accede to every demand by Zelensky, nothing the Ukrainian leader requested came as a surprise.

“If we were President Zelensky, we would be asking for everything possible as well, and continuing to ask for it,” Psaki said. “Because he is watching his country and his people be attacked and brutalized by President Putin and the Russian military,” Psaki said.

THE WASHINGTON POST

Related Topics:Biden Featured Putin war criminal

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International

Floods sweep Kenyan cities, 42 dead in dam collapse, 130,000 displaced

Published

1 day ago

April 29, 2024

Trends Admin

Floods sweep Kenyan cities, 42 dead in dam collapse, 130,000 displaced

About 42 people have died in Kenya and hundreds displaced after a dam burst its banks near a town in the Rift Valley as heavy rains and floods battered the country.

The authorities confirmed this to AFP on Monday,

The dam burst near Mai Mahiu in Nakuru county, washing away houses and cutting off a road, with rescuers digging through debris to find survivors.

“Forty-two dead, it’s a conservative estimate. There are still more in the mud, we are working on recovery,” said Nakuru governor Susan Kihika.

Monday’s dam collapse raises the total death toll over the March-May wet season to 120 as heavier than usual rainfall pounds East Africa, compounded by the El Nino weather pattern.

The Kenya Red Cross said Monday it had retrieved two bodies after a boat carrying “a large number of people” capsized at the weekend in flooded Tana River county in eastern Kenya, adding that 23 others had been rescued.

Video footage shared online and broadcast on television showed the crowded boat sinking, with people screaming as onlookers watched in horror.

On Saturday, officials said 76 people had lost their lives in Kenya since March.

Flash floods have submerged roads and neighbourhoods, leading to the displacement of more than 130,000 people across 24,000 households, many of them in the capital Nairobi, according to government figures released Saturday.

Schools have been forced to remain shut following mid-term holidays, after the education ministry announced Monday that it would postpone their reopening by one week due to “ongoing heavy rains”.

“The devastating effects of the rains in some of the schools is so severe that it will be imprudent to risk the lives of learners and staff before water-tight measures are put in place to ensure adequate safety,” Education Minister Ezekiel Machogu said.

International

Gaza: OIC, 6 Arab countries seek ‘operative sanctions’ against Israel

Published

1 day ago

April 29, 2024

Trends Admin

Gaza: OIC, 6 Arab countries seek ‘operative sanctions’ against Israel

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and six Arab countries have urged the international community to implement robust sanctions against Israel, including halting the export of weapons, in response to its flagrant violations of international law and perpetration of war crimes in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, convened the meeting in Riyadh on Sunday, while also chairing the Ministerial Committee assigned by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on Developments in the Gaza Strip.

During the gathering, the ministers emphasised the urgent need to activate international legal mechanisms to hold accountable those responsible for the horrible crimes committed in the region.

They also underscored the imperative of taking decisive action against settler terrorism and adopting clear and strict positions against it.

In addition to discussing the implementation of sanctions, the meeting focused on intensifying joint Arab and Islamic efforts to secure an immediate cessation of the conflict in Gaza.

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The ministers stressed the importance of upholding international humanitarian law to protect civilians and ensuring unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to all parts of the strip.

Meanwhile, the participants reaffirmed their commitment to continuing efforts aimed at achieving international recognition of an independent Palestinian state.

They emphasised the significance of the two-state solution and the recognition of the State of Palestine based on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with relevant international resolutions.

Expressing concern over measures targeting peaceful demonstrators in Western countries advocating for an end to the conflict in Gaza, the ministers reiterated their unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and their determination to address the severe crimes and violations against the Palestinian people.

The meeting saw the participation of esteemed officials including His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Jordan, Ayman Al Safadi, His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Mr. Sameh Shoukry, His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Mr. Hussein Ibrahim Taha, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Minister of Civil Affairs, Hussein Al Sheikh, and Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi.

Gaza: OIC, 6 Arab countries seek ‘operative sanctions’ against Israel

International

Gaza: Hamas studies new Israeli truce proposal, 32 more killed

Published

2 days ago

April 28, 2024

Trends Admin

Gaza: Hamas studies new Israeli truce proposal, 32 more killed

JEDDAH/GAZA STRIP: Palestinians in Rafah said on Saturday they were living in “constant terror” as Israel vows to push ahead with its planned assault on the south Gaza city flooded with displaced civilians.

The Israeli military has massed dozens of tanks and armored vehicles in southern Israel close to Rafah and hit locations in the city in near-daily airstrikes.

“We live in constant terror and fear of repeated displacement and invasion,” said Nidaa Safi, 30, who fled Israeli strikes in the north and came to Rafah with her husband and children.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said at least 34,388 people have been killed in the besieged territory during more than six months of war between Israel and Hamas militants.

The tally includes at least 32 deaths in the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, adding that 77,437 people have been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the war broke out when Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

Early Saturday, an airstrike hit a house in Rafah’s Tel Sultan neighborhood, killing a man, his wife and their sons, ages 12, 10 and 8, according to records of the Abu Yousef Al-Najjar hospital’s morgue. A neighbor’s 4-month-old girl was also killed.

Ahmed Omar rushed with other neighbors after the 1:30 a.m. strike to look for survivors, but said they only found bodies and body parts. “It’s a tragedy,” he said.

An Israeli airstrike later Saturday on a building in Rafah killed seven people, including six members of the Ashour family, according to the morgue.

Five people were killed in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza overnight when an Israeli strike hit a house, according to officials at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.

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Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and killed two Palestinian men at a checkpoint in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the military said. It said the men had opened fire at troops stationed at Salem checkpoint near the city of Jenin.

Violence in the West Bank has flared since the war. The Ramallah-based Health Ministry says 491 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire.

Israel’s counterproposal

Hamas said it was studying Israel’s latest counterproposal for a ceasefire, a day after reports said a delegation from mediator Egypt was in Israel trying to jump-start stalled negotiations.

Israel’s foreign minister said that the Rafah incursion could be suspended should there be a deal to secure the release of Israeli hostages.

“The release of the hostages is the top priority for us,” said Israel Katz. “If there will be a deal, we will suspend the operation.”

The Egyptian delegation discussed a “new vision” for a prolonged ceasefire in Gaza, according to an Egyptian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to freely discuss the developments.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether Israel’s proposal was directly related to the visit.

Khalil Al-Hayya, deputy head of Hamas’s political arm in Gaza, said it had “received the official Zionist occupation response to the movement’s position, which was delivered to the Egyptian and Qatari mediators on April 13.”

Negotiations earlier this month centered on a six-week ceasefire proposal and the release of 40 civilian and sick hostages in exchange for freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

A separate Hamas statement said leaders from the three main militant groups active in Gaza discussed attempts to end the war. It didn’t mention the Israeli proposal.

The armed wing of Hamas also released video footage of two men held hostage in Gaza, identified by Israeli campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum as Keith Siegel and Omri Miran.

Mediators are working on a compromise that will answer most of both parties’ main demands, which could pave the way to continued negotiations with the goal of a deal to end the war, the official said.

Hamas has said it won’t back down from demands for a permanent ceasefire and full withdrawal of Israeli troops.

Israel has rejected both and said it will continue military operations until Hamas is defeated and that it will retain a security presence in Gaza.

There is growing international pressure for Hamas and Israel to reach a ceasefire deal and avert an Israeli attack on Rafah, where more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have sought refuge.

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Israel has insisted for months it plans a ground offensive into Rafah, on the border with Egypt, where it says many remaining Hamas militants remain, despite calls for restraint including from Israel’s staunchest ally, the United States.

Egypt has cautioned an offensive into Rafah could have “catastrophic consequences” on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where famine is feared, and on regional peace and security.

Tolerating Israeli abuses

Washington has been critical of Israeli policies in the West Bank. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is expected in Israel on Tuesday, recently determined an army unit committed rights abuses there before the war in Gaza.

But Blinken said in an undated letter to US House Speaker Mike Johnson, obtained by The Associated Press on Friday, that he’s postponing a decision on blocking aid to the unit to give Israel more time to right the wrongdoing. Blinken stressed that overall US military support for Israel’s defense wouldn’t be affected.

The US has also been building a pier to deliver aid to Gaza through a new port. Israel’s military confirmed Saturday that it would be operational by early May.

The BBC reported the UK government was considering deploying troops to drive the trucks to carry the aid to shore, citing unidentified government sources. British officials declined to comment.

Another aid effort, a three-ship flotilla coming from Turkiye, was prevented from sailing, organizers said.

Student protests over the war and its effect on Palestinians are growing on college campuses in the US, while demonstrations continue in many countries.

Hamas sparked the war by attacking southern Israel on Oct. 7, with militants killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage. Israel says the militants still hold around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others.