After trying to retract his remarks from a speech in Poland, President Joe Biden attempted to clarify his statement calling for regime change Russia. When asked by reporters at the White House about his statement that “for God’s sake, this person cannot remain in power”, he replied “I’m not walking back any,”
Biden’s comments drew concern from leaders and foreign policy experts around the globe, who expressed alarm at the president’s inexcusable escalated conflict with Russia. Biden said he wasn’t calling for any change in Russia and Putin’s policies, but that he was just sharing his anger. “I was expressing my moral outrage toward this man. He said that he wasn’t proposing a policy change.
Biden responded emotionally to Putin’s actions in meeting with the Ukrainian refugees in Poland when he was asked about his comment.
“I was outraged at this man’s behavior. It’s outrageous. He said it was outrageous and more an aspirational than anything. He said, “People like these shouldn’t be ruling nations, but they are… doesn’t mean that I can’t express my outrage over it.”
Biden seemed frustrated that any one misinterpreted his comment to mean a change of policy towards Putin.
“It’s ridiculous. He complained that nobody believes we will take down… he was talking about Putin. “Nobody believes this.”
He stated that he was talking to the Russian people and the rest of world.
He stated, “This is only stating a simple truth, that this type of behavior is completely unacceptable.”
Putin was warned by the president that he was threatening his political position in Russia.
“If he continues to follow this course, he will be a pariah throughout the world, and who knows what he becomes home in terms support?” he asked.
Biden answered no when asked if he thought his comment had needlessly escalated conflict with Putin. Not at all.”
Biden denied that he made the comments in his trip to Europe. He said, “None of these three happened, you interpreted it that way.”