Harris supports war crimes investigation of Russian bombing of Ukrainian hospital

Vice President Kamala Harris stated Thursday that Russia’s bombing of a civilian hospital in Ukraine must be investigated as a possible struggle crime, changing into the highest-level U.S. official to sentence an assault that has drawn worldwide outrage and ratcheted up requires Moscow to again off its all-out invasion.

The vice chairman stated she was shocked when she noticed video of carnage from the maternity hospital within the southern metropolis of Mariupol, saying the Kremlin must be held accountable extra broadly for its “aggression and atrocities” in its two-week-long invasion of Ukraine.

“Simply restricted to what we’ve seen: pregnant girls going for healthcare being injured in an unprovoked, unjustified struggle,” Harris stated throughout a joint press convention with Polish President Andrzej Duda on the Belwelder Palace in Warsaw.

Talking by means of a translator, Duda known as the bombing “an act of barbarism.” Harris’ name for an investigation got here in response to a query from a Polish reporter over whether or not the assault ought to face a struggle crimes probe.

Broadly circulated photographs of the bombing, which turned public on Wednesday, have proven emergency responders carrying a bloodied pregnant lady by means of a courtyard suffering from mangled automobiles and a closely broken constructing nonetheless smoldering.

The joint press convention was supposed to focus on Harris’ two-day journey to Jap Europe to convey unity amongst NATO international locations on its Jap flank. Harris is assembly with the leaders of Poland and Romania over the subsequent two days. The 2 international locations, which border Ukraine and had been former Soviet republics, have expressed unease over Russia’s intentions.

Of their joint press convention, Harris and Duda needed to tackle a uncommon crack within the diplomatic relationship over whether or not and tips on how to ship Polish fighter jets to Ukraine.

Duda’s authorities on Tuesday caught U.S. officers off-guard by saying a plan to convey the planes to the US for supply to Ukraine, a transfer that dangers escalating Russia’s aggression. The U.S. in the end rebuffed the provide, saying there was no solution to safely get the planes into Ukraine. Russia had stated that such a switch of planes could be thought of an act of struggle.

Duda stated on the press convention that his nation was attempting to steadiness its personal want to assist Ukraine with its broader obligation to seek the advice of with allies within the 30-member North Atlantic Treaty Group.

“There have been requests addressed to us. These requests had been addressed to us by the Ukrainian aspect in addition to, to some extent the media,” he stated, including that “we determined to place these jets on the disposal of NATO, not anticipating something in return.”

Harris tried to glide over the difficulty. “I wish to be very clear,” she stated. “The USA and Poland are united in what we’ve got accomplished and are ready to do to assist Ukraine.”

As a part of her go to, Harris introduced the U.S. would spend an extra $53 million on humanitarian help for Ukrainian refugees in Poland. Duda stated his nation has now absorbed virtually 1.5 million individuals, principally within the final 10 days.

Duda stated he instructed Harris of their personal assembly “in a really blunt means that Poland is in a refugee disaster.”

“By no means earlier than have we witnessed such a scenario,” he stated, including that his nation wants professional assist from the U.N. as properly, given the sophisticated logistics concerned. With out extra help from allies, “this may wind up in a refugee catastrophe.”

He stated he additionally pressed Harris to soak up extra refugees, easing the best way for Ukrainians who’ve American relations to stick with them whereas the struggle rages. Harris stated most refugees have stated they wish to keep in Europe. She supplied no new commitments on that entrance.