Latvian President says there are signs of genocide in Ukraine

RIGA - Russia's aggression in Ukraine shows the signs of genocide, but it is for the court to decide, said Latvian President Egils Levits after his return from the visit to Ukraine.

"From the legal point of view, this could be determined by international court, but seeing with my own eyes what has happened in Ukraine, I saw all the signs of genocide there. I would call it a genocide," Levits said.

As reported, Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) believes that Russia's actions in Ukraine can be described as genocide, the PM's press secretary Sandris Sabajevs told LETA earlier.

''According to all indications, Russia is attempting to destroy the Ukrainian people. I believe this is genocide,'' the prime minister said.

The AFP news agency reports that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday it was "right" to describe Russia's attacks in Ukraine as "genocide," repeating US President Joe Biden's accusation.

"I think it's absolutely right that more and more people be talking and using the word genocide in terms of what Russia is doing, what Vladimir Putin has done," Trudeau told reporters in Quebec, making him one of the first world leaders to use the term.

"We have seen this desire to attack civilians, to use sexual violence as a weapon of war," he said. "This is completely unacceptable."

Trudeau added that Canada was one of the first countries to initiate a process at the International Criminal Court to hold Russia's leader accountable for his "war crimes."

Biden on Tuesday accused Putin of genocide, while giving a speech about gasoline prices.

"Your family budget, your ability to fill up your tank -- none of it should hinge on whether a dictator declares war and commits genocide half a world away," Biden said at the event in Iowa.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said last week that the alleged massacre in Bucha "doesn't look far short of genocide to me."

Meanwhile, the French and German leaders acknowledged Wednesday Russia had committed war crimes but declined to repeat Biden's accusation, warning that verbal escalations would not help end the war.