US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an exclusive interview with CNN on Sunday that the United States had received “credible reports” that indicate that Russia committed war crimes during the invasion of Ukraine.
“We’ve seen some pretty sure reports that indicate deliberate attacks on civilians, which constitute a war crime. They’re pretty believable,” Blinken told CNN’s “State of the Union” program.
“What we are doing now is documenting all of this, putting it all together, looking at it and ensuring that as people and the appropriate organizations and institutions investigate whether war crimes have been or are being committed, we can support what they [organizações] are doing,” he added. “We are reviewing these reports. They are very grounded, and we are documenting everything.”
The secretary of state, who is in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, close to the border with Ukraine, also said that the US government is “working together” with Poland on a possible shipment of aircraft to the Ukrainians, brokered by Warsaw.
Asked about China’s position in the conflict, Blinken said he spoke for an hour with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and that it is necessary to “listen to what China has to say”.
He said that the UN Security Council (United Nations) was “created to guarantee the security base in the world and the sovereignty of States”. “And we have a permanent member violating the existence of the Council. China’s voice is very important,” added the US Secretary of State.
Earlier, at a press conference, Blinken said that Vladimir Putin commits “violence not only against men, women and children, but against the principles that underlie this order.”
“This cannot go unpunished, otherwise we will open a Pandora’s box that we will regret having been opened, not only in Europe, but in the whole world. The basic principles that structure this order allow countries to know their sovereignty, their borders. This allows the people to decide their own future, and all of that is at stake in this aggression.”
“What happens to Ukraine, with its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, can happen to Moldova and any other country,” he added.
war crimes
The US embassy in Ukraine on Friday published a tweet that said the attack on a nuclear plant is a war crime, after Russian invasion forces seized Europe’s largest nuclear plant in intense fighting in southeastern Ukraine, causing global alarm.
According to CNN, the State Department sent a message to all US embassies in Europe telling them not to retweet this tweet from the Kiev embassy.
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Also on Sunday, Blinken said the United States was working with its allies in Europe to look into the possibility of banning Russian oil imports in an effort to further punish the country.
“When it comes to oil, Russian oil, I was on the phone yesterday with the president and other cabinet members on this very issue, and now we are talking to our European partners and allies to look in a coordinated way on the prospect of banning the import of Russian oil, ensuring that there is still an adequate supply of oil in world markets,” Blinken said in an interview with CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“This is a very active discussion as we speak,” Secretary of State added to host Jake Tapper.
The US has already announced a series of sanctions against Russia and President Vladimir Putin since the start of the invasion. But the unprecedented move to sanction its oil exports would likely send prices soaring, dealing a painful blow to consumers around the world, as Russia is the world’s second-largest oil producer.
Although the US consumes very little Russian oil – Russian oil imports reached just 90,000 barrels a day in December – the interconnected global market means that supply shocks in one part of the world can affect prices everywhere.
Source: CNN Brasil
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