Biden Accuses Putin of Genocide for the First Time

The US leader's statement was made in Iowa.

US President Joe Biden has called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a dictator who is committing "genocide on the other side of the world", referring to Russia's full-scale military aggression against Ukraine.

This was reported by NBC News.

The US leader made this statement in Iowa. He complained about the gas price hike.

"Your family budget, your ability to replenish your tank - none of that should depend on whether a dictator declares war and commits genocide on the other side of the world," Biden said.

It is worth noting that before that the US President did not call the Russian army atrocities in Bucha genocide, answering journalists' question whether the Russian actions there fit that definition.

Also note that the US State Department has a prolonged internal process to determine whether a mass killing constitutes genocide, including gathering evidence over a period of time. Thus, the states define genocide as "an action against members of a national, ethnic, racial or religious group with the intent to destroy them in whole or in part".