Reactions to Biden saying Putin ‘cannot remain in power’

LONDON (Reuters) – Following are reactions to U.S. President Joe Biden’s comment on Saturday that Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin “can not stay in energy”.

BIDEN

“For God’s sake, this man can not stay in energy,” Biden informed a crowd in Warsaw after condemning the Russian president’s month-long battle in Ukraine. Biden solid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a battle in a wider battle between democracy and autocracy.

“The battle for democracy couldn’t conclude and didn’t conclude with the tip of the Chilly Struggle,” Biden stated. “During the last 30 years, the forces of autocracy have revived all throughout the globe.”

Official transcript https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/03/26/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-united-efforts-of-the-free-world-to-support-the-people-of-ukraine of his speech.

THE KREMLIN

“That is not for Biden to resolve,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed Reuters. “The president of Russia is elected by Russians.”

Peskov later informed Russia’s RBC that Biden was clearly “the sufferer of many misconceptions”.

“This speech – and the passages which concern Russia – is astounding, to make use of well mannered phrases,” Peskov stated. “He would not perceive that the world is just not restricted to the USA and most of Europe.”

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN

“I believe the president, the White Home, made the purpose final night time that, fairly merely, President Putin can’t be empowered to wage battle or interact in aggression in opposition to Ukraine or anybody else,” Blinken stated on Sunday throughout a go to to Jerusalem.

“As you understand, and as you’ve gotten heard us say repeatedly, we shouldn’t have a method of regime change in Russia – or wherever else, for that matter.”

WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL:

“The President’s level was that Putin can’t be allowed to train energy over his neighbours or the area,” the official stated on Saturday after Biden’s speech. “He was not discussing Putin’s energy in Russia, or regime change.”

JULIANNE SMITH, U.S. ENVOY TO NATO

“The president had spent the day visiting with the Ukrainian refugees. He went to the nationwide stadium in Warsaw and actually met with tons of of Ukrainians. He heard their heroic tales as they had been fleeing Ukraine within the wake of Russia’s brutal battle in Ukraine. Within the second, I believe that was a principled human response to the tales that he had heard that day,” Smith informed CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, earlier than including: “However no … the U.S. doesn’t have a coverage of regime change in Russia. Full cease.”

FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON

“I would not use such a wording as a result of I proceed to carry discussions with President Putin,” Macron informed France 3 TV channel in remarks aired on Sunday.

The French president stated he was searching for to carry extra talks with Putin relating to the scenario in Ukraine in addition to an initiative to assist individuals go away the besieged metropolis of Mariupol within the coming days.

“We need to cease the battle that Russia has launched in Ukraine with out escalation — that is the target,” he added, noting the target is to acquire a ceasefire and the withdrawal of troops via diplomatic means.

“If that is what we need to do, we must always not escalate issues — neither with phrases or actions,” he stated.

OKSANA MARKAROVA, UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES

“We heard President Biden loud and clear, that the U.S. will assist and can be with Ukraine on this battle,” Markarova informed NBC Information’ ‘Meet the Press’ on Sunday.

“We clearly perceive in Ukraine that anybody who’s a battle prison, who assaults a neighboring nation, who’s doing all these atrocities along with all of the Russians which might be concerned positively can not keep in energy in a civilized world. Now, it is all as much as all of us to cease Putin.”

RUSSIAN LAWMAKER

“That is how a weak and sick individual behaves – psychiatrists will be capable of clarify his behaviour higher,” Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the Duma, Russia’s decrease home of parliament, stated on Saturday. “Americans ought to be ashamed of their president.”

(Reporting by Man Faulconbridge, Phil Stewart and Michelle Worth; Modifying by Frances Kerry and Diane Craft)