U.S. President Joe Biden has called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be removed from office, saying "For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power" during a speech at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland.
U.S. officials have confirmed that this declaration made by Biden saying that Putin should not remain in power was not in the prepared text given to Biden to use for his speech. U.S. officials have stated before that it is not their goal to remove Putin from power.
The White House immediately released a clarifying statement minutes after Biden's speech saying, "The President's point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He was not discussing Putin's power in Russia or regime change".
During his speech Biden stated, "In this battle, we need to be clear-eyed. This battle will not be won in days, or months, either" and warned Putin, "Don't even think about moving on one single inch of NATO territory".
Biden made it clear, however, that the United States is committed to protecting that which is obligated for the U.S. to protect under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) charter. Article 5 states that an attack on any one NATO member is seen as an attack on all NATO members.
Ukraine is not currently a NATO member, so the United States and NATO member states are not obligated to get involved in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
"American forces are not in Europe to engage in conflict with Russian forces, American forces are here to defend NATO", Biden stated.
Biden added, "My message to the people of Ukraine is ... we stand with you. Period".
On Saturday when Biden met with the president of Poland, Andrzej Duda in Warsaw he said, "America's ability to meet its role in other parts of the world rests upon a united Europe and a secure Europe".
"We have learned from sad experiences in two world wars, when we've stayed out of and not been involved in stability in Europe, it always comes back to haunt the United States" he added.
Biden also said, "We take Article 5 as a sacred commitment, not a throwaway, a sacred commitment that relates to every member of NATO", and said that members of the alliance must stay "absolutely, completely thoroughly united".
U.S. officials have confirmed that this declaration made by Biden saying that Putin should not remain in power was not in the prepared text given to Biden to use for his speech. U.S. officials have stated before that it is not their goal to remove Putin from power.
The White House immediately released a clarifying statement minutes after Biden's speech saying, "The President's point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He was not discussing Putin's power in Russia or regime change".
During his speech Biden stated, "In this battle, we need to be clear-eyed. This battle will not be won in days, or months, either" and warned Putin, "Don't even think about moving on one single inch of NATO territory".
Biden made it clear, however, that the United States is committed to protecting that which is obligated for the U.S. to protect under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) charter. Article 5 states that an attack on any one NATO member is seen as an attack on all NATO members.
Ukraine is not currently a NATO member, so the United States and NATO member states are not obligated to get involved in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
"American forces are not in Europe to engage in conflict with Russian forces, American forces are here to defend NATO", Biden stated.
Biden added, "My message to the people of Ukraine is ... we stand with you. Period".
On Saturday when Biden met with the president of Poland, Andrzej Duda in Warsaw he said, "America's ability to meet its role in other parts of the world rests upon a united Europe and a secure Europe".
"We have learned from sad experiences in two world wars, when we've stayed out of and not been involved in stability in Europe, it always comes back to haunt the United States" he added.
Biden also said, "We take Article 5 as a sacred commitment, not a throwaway, a sacred commitment that relates to every member of NATO", and said that members of the alliance must stay "absolutely, completely thoroughly united".
