German president calls for war crimes tribunal against Putin, Lavrov

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is calling for a war crimes tribunal against Russian President Vladimir Putin and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, German magazine Der Spiegel cited Steinmeier as saying.

"Anyone who has responsibility for these crimes will have to explain themselves," Steinmeier told Der Spiegel in an interview.

"That includes soldiers. That includes military commanders. And of course also those that have the political responsibility," he said.

Ukraine has accused Russia of genocide and war crimes. The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Western allegations that Russian forces executed civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha were a "monstrous forgery" meant to discredit the Russian army and justify new Western sanctions.