Psaki, pressed on whether Biden's 'genocide' comments off script, says he's 'allowed to make his views known'

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Fox News' Griff Jenkins provides updates on the ongoing conflict after President Biden labeled Russia's actions as 'genocide.'

The White House defended President Biden on Wednesday for shifting to classify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a "genocide," reminding that he is "the leader of the free world" and entitled to "make his views known at any point he would like."

The president on Tuesday called the actions of Russian forces in Ukraine a "genocide" for the first time on Tuesday— a characterization he had previously shied away from using.

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When pressed on whether he misspoke, or if his comments were planned, White House press secretary Jen Psaki replied: "He is the president of the United States and the leader of the free world, and he is allowed to make his views known at any point he would like."

When asked again, Psaki quipped: "I think we shouldn’t misunderstand who he is and where he stands in the totem pole—which is at the top."

Biden, on Tuesday, called actions by Russian forces in Ukraine a "genocide," explaining that he did so "because it’s become clearer and clearer that Putin is just trying to wipe out even the idea of being Ukrainian."

"The evidence is mounting," Biden told reporters after appearing to reference the term earlier Tuesday.

In comments on inflation earlier Tuesday, Biden said that the prices Americans pay shouldn't depend on whether a dictator "commits genocide" against another country, an apparent shot at Russian President Vladimir Putin and his decision to invade Ukraine.

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"We’ll let the lawyers decide, internationally, whether or not it qualifies," Biden later clarified in his answer to reporters in Iowa, "but it sure seems that way to me."

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Biden's comments drew praise from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Tuesday, calling the comments "true words of a true leader."

"Calling things by their names is essential to stand up to evil," Zelenskyy said on Twitter. "We are grateful for US assistance provided so far and we urgently need more heavy weapons to prevent further Russian atrocities."

Biden’s comments come after last week he referred to Russia’s actions in Ukraine as "war crimes" instead of genocide. Zelenskyy had first referred to the atrocities in the country as genocide earlier his month.

Biden’s comments come after he was asked last week if he he agreed with Zelenskyy's characterization of "genocide."

"No, I think it is a war crime," Biden said.

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But Tuesday, the president said that "more evidence is coming out of literally the horrible things that the Russians have done to Ukraine."

"And we're only gonna learn more and more about the devastation," Biden said.

Genocide is a type of war crime under international law.

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Russia, on Wednesday, though, said Biden's comments were "unacceptable." 

"We consider this kind of effort to distort the situation unacceptable," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, according to Reuters. 

"This is hardly acceptable from a president of the United States, a country that has committed well-known crimes in recent times," he added. 

Human Rights Watch has documented evidence of summary executions, unlawful violence and threats against civilians, and repeated rapes between Feb. 27 and March 14. A report from the organization also implicates Russian soldiers in looting civilian property, including food, clothing and firewood. 

The Senate, last month, approved a resolution that will investigate Putin for war crimes, and Blinken said U.S. findings will be used to help international efforts to hold the Kremlin accountable. 

Since the onslaught of the war on Feb. 24, Russian forces have hit apartment buildings, children’s and maternity hospitals, bread lines and most recently a theater that was sheltering roughly 1,000 men, women and children in the besieged city of Mariupol.

Russian forces have also been accused of using cluster munitions and vacuum bombs in the war, which violate international law when used indiscriminately against civilians. 

The International Criminal Court said earlier this month that it is opening an investigation into potential war crimes by Putin in his invasion of Ukraine. 

Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich and Greg Norman contributed to this report.