Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Tuesday, May 13, 2025

"Time Not On His Side": US Warns Putin Over Russia-Ukraine War

"Time Not On His Side": US Warns Putin Over Russia-Ukraine War

Kamala Harris' speech comes as senior Western leaders met in Munich to assess Europe's worst conflict since World War Two.
The Biden administration formally concluded that Russia has committed "crimes against humanity" during its nearly year-long invasion of Ukraine, US Vice President Kamala Harris said on Saturday.

"In the case of Russia's actions in Ukraine we have examined the evidence, we know the legal standards, and there is no doubt: these are crimes against humanity," Harris, a former prosecutor, said at the Munich Security Conference.

"And I say to all those who have perpetrated these crimes, and to their superiors who are complicit in these crimes, you will be held to account."

The official determination, which came at the end of a legal analysis led by the US State Department, carries with it no immediate consequences for the ongoing war.

But Washington hopes that it could help further isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin and galvanize legal efforts to hold members of his government accountable through international courts and sanctions.

Harris' speech comes as senior Western leaders met in Munich to assess Europe's worst conflict since World War Two.

She said Russia was now a "weakened" country after Biden led a coalition to punish Putin for the invasion, but Russia is only intensifying assaults in Ukraine's east. Meanwhile, Ukraine is planning a spring counteroffensive, for which it is seeking more, heavier and longer-range weapons from its Western allies.

The nearly year-long war has killed tens of thousands, uprooted millions from their homes, pummelled the global economy and made Putin a pariah in the West.

Washington had already concluded that Russian forces were guilty of war crimes, as has a UN-mandated investigation, but the Biden administration conclusion that Russia's actions amount to "crimes against humanity" implies a legal analysis that acts from murder to rape are widespread, systematic and intentionally directed against civilians. In international law, it is seen as a more serious offence.

The UN-backed Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has not yet concluded that the war crimes it says it has identified amount to crimes against humanity.

'BARBARIC AND INHUMANE'

In her remarks, Harris cited as "barbaric and inhumane" the scores of victims found in Bucha shortly after Russia's invasion last February; the March 9 bombing of a Mariupol maternity hospital, that killed three people, including a child; and the sexual assault of a four-year-old by a Russian soldier that was identified by the UN report.

Organizations supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have documented more than 30,000 war crimes incidents since the invasion, according to the US government. Ukrainian officials said they were investigating the shelling of the city of Bakhmut just this week as a possible war crime.

Russia, which says it is conducting a "special military operation" in Ukraine to eliminate threats to its security and protect Russian-speakers, has denied intentionally targeting civilians or committing war crimes.

"Let us all agree: on behalf of all the victims, both known and unknown, justice must be served," Harris said.

The Biden administration has sought to bring alleged war criminals to justice, including training Ukrainian investigators, imposing sanctions, blocking visas and hiking penalties under US war crimes laws.

Washington has spent some $40 million on the efforts so far and says it is working with Congress to secure an additional $38 million for the efforts.

But the Biden administration's ability to enforce any such efforts beyond its borders - and certainly within Russia - is limited. Collecting evidence in the war-torn country, too, has proven difficult.

International legal bodies are also constrained. At the International Criminal Court, for instance, jurisdiction extends only to member states and states that have agreed to its jurisdiction, such as Ukraine but not Russia. Kyiv has been pushing for a new international war crimes organization to focus on the Russian invasion, which Moscow has opposed.

"If Putin thinks he can wait us out, he is badly mistaken," Harris said. "Time is not on his side."
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
Senate Democrats Move to Censure Trump Over Qatar Jet Gift
Hamas Releases Last Living US Hostage from Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
India and Pakistan Agreement on Ceasefire Amid Ongoing Tensions
Trump's Upcoming Middle East Trip Excludes Israel, Raising Concerns Among Israeli Officials
Kurdistan Workers Party Announces Dissolution Amid Ongoing Conflict Resolution Efforts
Trump's Upcoming Visit to Gulf Nations: Investment and Security at the Forefront
Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Marking a Historic Papacy
India-Pakistan conflict may be first test for Chinese military tech
Bill Gates Announces Plan to Wind Down Philanthropic Foundation and Disperse Wealth
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Worldwide Markets Decline as U.S.-China Trade Frictions Intensify
OpenAI Lands Unprecedented $40 Billion Investment
Removing the Political Adversary is Dismantling What's Remaining of Turkey's Economy.
Ex-FIFA President and French Football Icon Acquitted of Corruption Allegations
White House Investigates Security Breach After Journalist Accidentally Added to Secret Yemen Strike Chat
Volunteers in Jeddah Ensure No One Goes Hungry During Ramadan Iftar
New Restaurant Opens in Makkah's Iconic Clock Tower for Ramadan Iftar
Saudi Arabia's Project Masam Removes 552 Houthi Mines in Yemen
Saudi Arabia Fines Over 400 Foreign Trucks for Regulatory Violations
Saudi National Campaign for Charitable Work Reports Significant Donations in Ramadan
Historic Al-Hosn Al-Asfal Mosque Restored in Asir as Part of National Heritage Initiative
KSrelief Expands Humanitarian Efforts in Syria, Sudan, and Lebanon
Saudi Arabia Advocates for Global Water Cooperation at Forum
Madinah Governor Tours Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
Saudi Foreign Minister in Cairo to Lead Meeting on Gaza Developments
Recognition of Saudi and Pakistani Entrepreneurs at Riyadh Ceremony
UAE Announces $1.4 Trillion Investment Plan in the United States
Saudi Arabia Innovates in Soil Quality and Water Conservation
Governor of Taif Engages with Rose and Aromatic Plants Cooperative
Saudi Food and Drug Authority Enhances Preparations for Hajj Season
Saudi Arabia Distributes Aid to Yemen and Romania
Restoration of Historic Al-Qalaah Mosque in Riyadh Underlines Heritage Preservation Efforts
×