Poland was under communist rule for four decades until 1989 and was a member of the Moscow-led Warsaw Pact security alliance. In his speech, Biden said NATO is a defensive security alliance which never sought Russia's demise and he reiterated that the West has no desire to harm Russia's people even as its sanctions threaten to cripple their economy. "Their brave resistance is part of a larger fight for essential democratic principles that unite all free people," Biden said. The speech came after three days of meetings in Europe with the G7, European Council and NATO allies, and took place roughly at the same time as rockets rained down on the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, just 60 kilometres (40 miles) from the Polish border. We need to steel ourselves for the long fight ahead." "This battle will not be won in days or months, either. "The West is now stronger, more united than it has ever been," Biden said. The president of Russia is elected by Russians."Ĭalling the fight against Putin a "new battle for freedom," Biden said Putin's desire for "absolute power" was a strategic failure for Russia and a direct challenge to a European peace that has largely prevailed since World War Two. "He was not discussing Putin's power in Russia, or regime change."Īsked about Biden's comment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters: "That's not for Biden to decide.
"The President's point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbours or the region," the official said. "For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power," Biden told a crowd in Warsaw after condemning Putin's month-long war in Ukraine.Ī White House official said Biden's remarks did not represent a shift in Washington's policy.
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Register now for FREE unlimited access to Registerīut a remark at the end of the speech raised the spectre of an escalation by Washington, which has avoided direct military involvement in Ukraine, and has specifically said it does not back regime change.
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