Munich: US Vice President Kamala Harris at the Munich Security Conference said that Russia has committed "crimes against humanity" during its invasion of Ukraine.
"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. 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," said Harris.
The former prosecutor said Russia is now a weakened country after the US led a coalition to punish Putin for the war. "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." She also called the actions of Russian troops "barbaric and inhumane".
She called for justice and said: "Let us all agree: on behalf of all the victims, both known and unknown, justice must be served. If Putin thinks he can wait us out, he is badly mistaken. Time is not on his side," she added.
She was speaking at a meeting of senior Western leaders in Munich to assess the Ukraine war which is being considered Europe's worst conflict since World War Two.
The US State Department has been carrying out a legal analysis of Russia's year-long war on its neighbour. While the official determination has no immediate consequences, Washington hopes to further isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin with the report.