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Even before US President Joe Biden took the stage in the Polish capital Warsaw on Saturday night, it was announced that he would give an important speech.
When he stood on the pulpit, he did not hold back.
“For God’s sake, this man can not remain in power,” Biden said of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Biden rounded off by asking for “a different future, a brighter future built on democracy and principle, hope and light”.
If the goal of the speech was reconciliation, things did not go exactly as planned.
Great political minefield
Shortly after Biden left the podium, his own people had to go out and put out fires. The president’s statement that Putin “can not remain in power” attracted a great deal of attention.
Several interpreted it as the American president calling for a change of regime in Russia. That the United States had a plan to overthrow Putin. That great powers intervene so far in other countries’ affairs is a major political minefield. Therefore, the White House went out and emphasized that President Biden not asked for regime change in Russia.
– The president’s point was that Putin can not be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors. He did not talk about Putin’s power in Russia, nor about a change of regime.
A White House spokesman said. It was not enough to stop the reactions to Biden’s speech. On Sunday morning, even the president’s wonderboy, Foreign Minister Antony Blinken, had to step on the field. This despite the fact that he is on a trip to Jerusalem on a completely different errand.
The United States has no strategy to change the regime in Russia, Blinken said. It reports Reuters.
“I think the president, the White House, simply made a point last night that President Putin can not be empowered to wage war or behave aggressively towards Ukraine, or anyone else,” he said.
– As you know, as you have already heard us say repeatedly, we have no strategy to change the regime in Russia. Not anywhere else, for that matter.
The correction was clear enough. Nevertheless, Biden’s allies distance themselves.
Macron with clear message
French President Emmanuel Macron has been cautious in his approach to the conflict. In early March, his finance minister declared “full economic war” with Russia. He also had to correct the statement. The word “war” did not match France’s attempt to de-escalate the invasion, he told the AFP news agency.
On Sunday morning, Macron distanced himself from Biden’s speech. He warned against escalating the war “verbally”. He said this to the French broadcaster France 3.
“I would not use that kind of word because I continue to talk to President Putin,” he said.
Macron said the goal was to put in place a ceasefire and then a full withdrawal of Russian soldiers from Ukraine by diplomatic means.
“If we want to achieve this, we can not escalate the situation in words or actions,” Macron said.
The statement attracted attention. The two presidents are otherwise known for having a good tone.
–British politicians also responded to the speech.
Britain’s education minister, Nadhim Zahawi, had the following to say about Biden’s words:
“I think it must be up to the Russian people,” he told Sky News about Biden’s comment on the regime change.
Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood described Biden’s statement as “unwise”. It writes The Guardian. He argued that Putin would use Biden’s words to “dig down and fight harder.”
Already now it can ensure that he is right.
Not up to Biden
Richard Haas, a former diplomat and president of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), warns that Biden’s statement could lead Putin away from the path of peace. Namely, by confirming the Russian president’s biggest fears:
That the United States is looking for Putin’s dismissal and systematic change in Russia.
The writes avisen The Washington Post.
Putin’s supporters have taken a hard line against the speech. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov gave a brief statement to CNN after the speech. Biden’s comment that Putin could not remain in power was answered as follows:
– This is not something Biden can decide, Peskov said.
Other Russian politicians went further in condemning the speech. Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the Duma, called Biden “weak and sick.”
– Psychiatrists would be better able to explain his behavior. “American citizens should be ashamed of their president,” he said.
The statement comes as Putin’s citizens flee their homeland as a result of the invasion. According to estimates, more than 200,000 people have left Russia since the war began.
During the speech, Biden extended a hand to the ordinary Russian.
A core of truth
David Rothkopf, foreign analyst at Rothkopf Group, believes the comment on regime change should not divert attention from the rest of Biden’s speech.
The writes avisen The Washington Post.
Rothkopf compared Biden’s speech to that of former President John F. Kennedy in Berlin in 1963. There, Kennedy expressed solidarity with the German people after World War II.
Biden did the same.
– The Russian people are not our enemy, Biden emphasized.
– I refuse to believe that you welcome the killing of innocent children and grandparents, that you accept that hospitals, schools and maternity wards are razed to the ground by Russian bombs and missiles. That is exactly what the Russian army is doing in Ukraine now.
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