U.S. President Joe Biden accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of "trying to destroy the culture and identity of the Ukrainian people."

He said this in a speech to graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy on Friday.

"Russia is attacking schools, kindergartens, hospitals, museums with no other goal than to destroy culture ... makes a direct attack on the fundamental principles of a rules-based international order," he said.

Biden praised the power of global cooperation to counter Russian aggression, adding that Putin has "NATOized all of Europe," encouraging Sweden and Finland to seek membership in the defense alliance.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky accused Russia of pursuing an apparent policy of genocide in eastern Ukraine. The Russians' goal is clear, Zelensky said - to turn more cities in the Donbass into ruins, as they did in the city of Mariupol.

Biden also previously called the actions of Russian troops in Ukraine genocide.

The first independent report on Russian genocide allegations in Ukraine argues that Russia's actions in Ukraine provide enough evidence to conclude that Moscow is fomenting genocide and committing atrocities aimed at destroying the Ukrainian people.