US President Joe Biden on Saturday issued a stern warning to Vladimir Putin during a speech at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland, telling the Russian dictator: “Don’t even think about moving on one single inch of NATO territory” and warning that the US is committed to the collective protection obligations laid out in NATO’s charter “with the full force of our collective power.”
Biden also made clear the current conflict in Ukraine — not a NATO member — doesn’t require America to become directly involved in the war.
“American forces are not in Europe to engage in conflict with Russian forces, American forces are here to defend NATO allies,” he said.
The president then addressed the Russian people directly, telling them, “You… are not our enemy.”
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“I’ve always spoken directly and honestly to you, the Russian people, let me say this if you’re able to listen: You the Russian people are not our enemy. I refuse to believe that you welcome the killing of innocent children and grandparents or that you accept hospitals, schools, maternity wards — for God’s sake — being pummeled with Russian missiles and bombs,” Biden said before calling Putin’s actions in Ukraine are “not the actions of a great nation.”
Biden also urged Russians who were alive during the Soviet Union and heard of it from their families to speak up. “These are not memories of the past,” Biden said. “This is exactly what the Russian army is doing in Ukraine right now.”
“This is not who you are. This is not the future you deserve for your families and your children. I’m telling you the truth. This war is not worthy of you, the Russian people,” the president said.
Biden closed his remarks by forcefully declaring that Putin “cannot remain in power.”
“For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power,” Biden said at the very conclusion of his speech.
However, the White House said afterward that it was not a call for regime change and that removing Putin from power was not their goal.
“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,” a White House official said, according to CNN.
The Kremlin’s responded by saying: “This is not to be decided by Mr. Biden,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “It should only be a choice of the people of the Russian Federation.”
Watch Biden’s speech below:
Biden on Putin: “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power.” pic.twitter.com/atNZtCPvAM
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 26, 2022
