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CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: I have to ask you first about this appalling atrocity in Mariupol, which we have all been hearing about for the last couple of weeks, more and more strangulation, until now this attack on a theater sheltering children? What can you tell us about that? What should be the world’s reaction to that?
ANITA ANAND, CANADIAN DEFENSE MINISTER: Anybody who has regard for human life is horrified and devastated by the attack on Mariupol, as well as the Russian attacks throughout the country. And, in fact, I am in complete agreement with the representative from the International Criminal Court, who says that there does appear to be a reasonable attempt to target civilians, and, therefore, this may indeed amount to a war crime.
AMANPOUR: You know President Biden cold actual President Putin a war criminal last night. That has drawn a furious response from the Kremlin, calling it unacceptable, and — basically unacceptable and unjustified. What do you feel? Has your government called President Putin that? Do you feel that there’s a political groundswell to make that accusation, in order for what?
ANAND: Well, I met a trained lawyer, and I will just say that I revert to the law in this particular case. And the law is whether there is an intent to target civilians. And, in my view, when you examine the facts on the ground, it does appear to be a horrifying intention to attack civilians, whether it’s in Mariupol or in any of the other districts where bombs are dropping randomly on civilian targets.
About This Episode EXPAND
Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand joins the program from Brussels, where NATO defense ministers met today to seek a way of ending the war. Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko explains why Putin is the whole world’s problem, not just Ukraine’s. Sen. Tim Kaine tells Michel Martin what Congress plans to do if Russia escalates the war.
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