Joe Biden sparked backlash by saying that Vladimir Putin “cannot remain in power” because of his invasion of Ukraine.
The US president made the remarks in Poland on Saturday during the final leg of his four-day trip to Europe.
On a trip to Warsaw to meet ministers and Ukrainian refugees, Mr Biden branded Putin a “butcher” and said the world “will have a brighter future” without him in the Kremlin.
Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, said Mr Biden’s comments “made a difficult situation more difficult and a dangerous situation more dangerous.”
He added: “That is obvious. Less obvious is how to undo the damage, but I suggest his chief aides reach their counterparts and make clear US prepared to deal with this Russian government”.
The White House has denied Mr Biden was calling for Putin to be overthrown. An official said the president had meant that Putin “cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbours or the region”.
Biden’s comments ‘made a difficult situation more difficult’
Joe Biden is accused of making the situation surrounding the Russian invasion of Ukraine “more dangerous”.
The US president said that Vladimir Putin “cannot remain in power”, which sparked accusations that he was calling for a regime change in Russia.
Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, tweeted: “The comments by [Biden] made a difficult situation more difficult and a dangerous situation more dangerous. That is obvious.
“Less obvious is how to undo the damage, but I suggest his chief aides reach their counterparts & make clear US prepared to deal with this Russian govt.”
-Independent
