The outrage in Russia over US President Joe Biden’s statements about Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin’s staying in power continues. Biden makes statements and mistakes with “terrifying regularity” that are worse than crimes, said the prominent Russian foreign politician Konstantin Kosachev.
Kosachev was responding to Biden’s words that Putin could not remain in office because of the war in Ukraine. There were times when a US president’s word carried weight, but that’s over now, said the chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the Russian Federation Council.
The Kremlin also made it clear on Sunday evening that it was not the United States that decided on leadership in Russia. “Biden does not decide that, the president of Russia is elected by the Russian people,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov after a speech by Biden in Poland.
The Russian head of parliament Vyacheslav Volodin accused the US President of “undiplomatic statements” and “hysteria”. “Biden is weak, sick and unhappy,” Volodin commented on Telegram. “US citizens should be ashamed of their president. Maybe he’s sick. It would be right if Biden were to be medically examined.” Putin, on the other hand, deserves respect for his “restraint”.
The US President had said in front of a historical backdrop in the inner courtyard of Warsaw’s Royal Castle: “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power.” Biden had previously also described Putin as a “butcher”, “war criminal” and “murderous dictator”. Russia had recently warned against breaking off diplomatic relations due to the massive tensions with the United States.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was cautious about Biden’s statements. “As you know, and as you hear us say repeatedly, we have no strategy for regime change in Russia or anywhere else,” Blinken told reporters in Jerusalem on Sunday.
“I think the President, the White House, indicated last night that President Putin simply cannot be authorized to wage war or engage in aggression against Ukraine or anyone,” Blinken said.
The US President’s Office had already tried on Saturday evening to clarify Biden’s statement. Biden did not call for regime change. Rather, what he meant by his statement was that Putin should not exercise any power over his neighboring countries or the region. (AP, Reuters)
Source: Tagesspiegel
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