In Warsaw, Poland, President Biden lamented that they won’t let him cross into Ukraine as part of his European trip amid Russia’s war. Biden appeared with Polish President Andrzej Da on Friday and said that he was there “first-hand” to witness the humanitarian crisis.
Biden stated Friday that part of his disappointment was not being able to see it in person like other people.
Biden stated that “they won’t let me, understandably I guess, cross over the border and look at what is going on in Ukraine.”
Although it is not clear who Biden was referring too, the president most likely won’t travel to Ukraine for security reasons.
In order to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President, and Prime Minister Denys Khmyhal, Janez Jansa from Slovenia and Petr Fiala, the Czech Republic’s prime ministers, visited Kyiv earlier this month.
Biden also thanked humanitarian aid workers who helped in the “suffering” that was taking place at their “doorstep.”
Biden stated, “You are the ones at greatest risk.” “In some cases your life is at risk. You may have to risk your life and all that you know to help. The American people support your efforts.
According to the White House, this week’s announcement stated that the U.S. would welcome 100,000 Ukrainians as well as others fleeing Russia’s invasion. The White House also announced new sanctions against Russian companies and individuals.
Senior administration officials claim that the Biden administration is investigating multiple options for people fleeing Ukraine to get into the U.S. This includes the refugee admissions program as well as parole, immigrant, and nonimmigrant visas.
Biden stated Friday that the United States and NATO allies could do the “single greatest thing” to keep democracies united in their opposition and fight against the destruction that is being caused by a man that I consider a war criminal.
Biden stated, “I believe he will also meet that legal definition,”
Biden travels in Poland as the US prepares for 100,000 Ukrainian refugees
Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary-of-State, officially called certain actions of Russian forces in Ukraine “war crimes” this week.
Blinken’s remarks come almost a week after Biden and he said that they believe Russian President Vladimir Putin to be a war criminal.
“Today, I am able to announce that the U.S. government has concluded that Russian forces in Ukraine have committed war crimes,” read a Blinken statement. “Russian President Vladimir Putin has unleashed unrelenting violence across Ukraine since he launched his unprovoked, unjust war of preference.”
On Wednesday, he stated that the U.S. government’s assessment of war crime being committed is based on a “careful analysis” of information from intelligence and public sources. He also said that the United States would continue tracking reports of war crimes.
Blinken stated that the State Department had received credible reports that Russian forces have attacked Ukrainians in “indiscriminate” attacks. He added that they have also destroyed schools, hospitals and critical infrastructure.
He stated that many of the locations hit by Russian forces can be “clearly identified” as civilian use.
He mentioned the March 16 strike at Mariupol’s theater, stating that the theatre was clearly marked with “children” in Russian.
“This includes the Mariupol Maternity Hospital, as the UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights explicitly noted in a March 11, 11 report. Blinken stated that the strike also included a Mariupol theater struck by a strike, clearly marked in large letters visible from the air with the word “deti” — Russian for “children”, Blinken added.
The United Nations Office of the Human Rights High Commissioner estimates that 977 people were killed and 1,594 were injured since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, this number could be significantly higher because of unconfirmed deaths or injuries.
