White House

Biden says Putin is a ‘dictator’ who committed ‘genocide halfway around the world’

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden complained about the spike in gas prices spurred on by a “dictator” who committed “genocide halfway around the world” in a speech Tuesday, explicitly referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine.

In a speech in Iowa, the president blamed Putin for the recent price increase at the pump. “Your household budget, your ability to fill your flask, no matter what, depends on whether a dictator declares war and commits genocide halfway around the world.” Biden said.

The president stopped short on April 5 in calling the atrocities in Bucha a genocide, when asked by reporters if Russia’s actions there fit that definition. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said at the time that the murders recorded so far in Ukraine have not risen to the level of “genocide” as the US government defines it.

The State Department has a lengthy internal process to determine if mass murder leads to genocide, including gathering evidence over a period of time.

The United States defines genocide as “an act against members of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group with the intent of total or partial destruction”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the Bucha killings a crime of genocide.

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