WASHINGTON, April 12 - President Joe Biden says the mounting evidence of atrocities committed by Russian soldiers in Ukraine is starting to look to him like something worse than isolated war crimes. It looks like genocide, Biden said.

“It’s become clearer and clearer that Putin is trying to wipe out the idea of being Ukrainian,” Biden said late Tuesday evening, according to CNBC. “The evidence is mounting. It looks different than last week. More evidence is coming out literally of the horrible things that the Russians have done in Ukraine.”

Hours earlier, Biden had shocked the world by calling Putin’s war a “genocide” for the first time.

Speaking at an event about inflation in Iowa, Biden said to the audience, “Your family budget, your ability to fill up your tank, none of it should hinge on whether a dictator declares war and commits genocide a half a world away.”

A White House adviser quickly went on TV to clarify that Biden’s words did not reflect a change in U.S. policy towards Ukraine.

Biden acknowledged that the legal definition of “genocide” was separate from his impression of what’s going on in Ukraine.

Nonetheless, the president did not recant his assessment. “We’re gonna only learn more and more about the devastation and we’ll let the lawyers decide internationally whether or not it qualifies but it sure seems that way to me,” said Biden.

The statement drew immediate praise from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who tweeted at Biden moments after he spoke on the tarmac.

“True words of a true leader @POTUS. Calling things by their names is essential to stand up to evil,” Zelensky tweeted on Tuesday. “We are grateful for U.S. assistance provided so far and we urgently need more heavy weapons to prevent further Russian atrocities.” (cnbc/ez)