Ukraine-Russia War

Russia-Ukraine update: Putin warns “traitors” in Russia, while Biden calls Putin a “war criminal”

Relatives and friends mourn the death of four fallen Ukrainian servicemen, Oleg Vashchyshyn, Kyrylo Vyshyvanyi, Rostyslav Romanchuk and Serhiy Melnyk, who were killed in a rocket attack against a military base in Yavoriv during the ongoing Russian invasion, during a memorial and funeral service in Lviv, Ukraine, March 15, 2022. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

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The discussion today around Ukraine was a lot of “he said, oh, and he also said.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addressed the US congress on Wednesday, asking them for more military support. He talked about Pearl Harbor and 9-11 in the speech and got a bipartisan standing ovation from one of the most divided congresses in a while.

“Friends, Americans, in your great history, you have pages that would allow you to understand Ukrainians. Understand us now when we need you right now," he said at the start of the speech.

A few hours later, US President Joe Biden offered Ukraine US$800 million in new weaponry. Around the same time, he called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal,” which is the first time Biden has thrown that word out.

“America is leading this effort, together with our Allies and partners, providing enormous levels of security and humanitarian assistance that we’re adding to today, and we’re going to continue to do more in the days and weeks ahead," Biden said.

Putin wasn’t about to miss getting his two cents on the air, with a warning for so-called “scum and traitors” in the country.

“Any people, and particularly the Russian people, will always be able to tell apart the patriots from the scum and traitors and spit them out like a fly that accidentally flew into the mouth,” Putin said.