The Biden Administration is escalating its response to the human rights violations in Ukraine committed by the Russian government. Vice President Kamala Harris has formally accused Russia of committing crimes against humanity in Ukraine, emphasizing that the U.S. has "examined the evidence, we know the legal standards, and there is no doubt: These are crimes against humanity". In her address at the Munich Security Conference, Harris named gruesome acts of torture, rape, executions, and deportations as evidence of a systemic attack on civilians.

The U.S. has long determined that Russia has committed war crimes in Ukraine, but Harris's recognition of crimes against humanity further incriminates Moscow and is indicative of a major transnational escalation. Crimes against humanity include any attack against a civilian population, regardless of its affiliation or identity, with no need to prove a "specific intent". U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken echoed Harris's sentiment, saying