CNN’s Tapper Presses Blinken on America’s Ambiguity on Russian War Crimes In Ukraine: ‘Has the U.S. Seen Evidence…or Not?’

CNN’s Jake Tapper grilled Secretary of State Antony Blinken on why the Biden administration is hesitating on calling out Russia’s “war crimes” in Ukraine.

As Tapper and Blinken spoke on Sunday about the ongoing invasion, the CNN anchor noted that the State Department recently told American embassies in Europe not to retweet the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv’s denouncement of Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. The Kyiv embassy described the attack as a “war crime,” and the International Criminal Court is conducting an investigation into such crimes by the Russian army.

Tapper called this a “confusing step” as he turned to Blinken and asked, “has the U.S. seen evidence that Russia is committing war crimes, or not?”

“We’ve seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians, which would constitute a war crime,” Blinken answered. “We’ve seen very credible reports about the use of certain weapons. What we’re doing right now is documenting all this, putting it all together, looking at it and making sure that as people and the appropriate organizations and institutions investigate whether war crimes have been or are being committed, that we can support whatever they’re doing.”

Blinken’s hesitation to officially pronounce Russia’s actions a “war crime” come days after President Joe Biden spoke to reporters and said it’s “clear” Russia is attacking Ukrainian citizens. He added, however, that it’s “early to say” if it is a war crime.

Watch above, via CNN.

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