In a speech delivered at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland on Saturday, Joe Biden demanded regime change in Russia and warned that the conflict in Ukraine may take years.
Biden said that Putin “cannot remain in power” after 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and labeled his Russian counterpart a “butcher.”
He then warned that “This battle will not be won in days and months” and the West must “steel ourselves for the long fight ahead.”
BREAKING: After Biden said Putin "cannot remain in power," the White House walks back remarks.
"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." pic.twitter.com/wrRxAdfmFa
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 26, 2022
The White House claims Biden was referring to Putin’s use of the Russian military outside its borders.
Until yesterday, Biden had received some praise from war opponents for keeping the United States out of a direct military conflict with Russia.
Some expressed concerns when Biden then told the 82nd Airborne in Poland that they would soon see examples of Ukrainian bravery first hand, signaling to many that the United States was set to send troops to Ukraine. The White House quickly said this was not the case.
Those concerned about the prospects of war may find little comfort in Biden’s words today.
He said that it is a “sacred obligation” of the United States to “defend each and every inch of NATO territory.”
Biden then claimed that “The democracies of the world are revitalized with purpose and unity,” because of Russia’s actions, and warned Putin: “Don’t even think about moving on one single inch of NATO territory.”
Experts have already explained how use of chemical weapons in Poland could quickly lead to a nuclear exchange between the United States and Russia.
According to a former U.S. Ambassador to NATO and a sitting U.S. Senator, such a scenario could unfold if Russia were to use a chemical weapon in Ukraine and the fallout reached Poland or another NATO ally.
This could potentially trigger NATO’s Article 5, which would require all member states to immediately declare war on Russia, citing the fallout dispersal in Poland, a NATO member, as cause for war.
The explanation came after some believed Biden threatened to use chemical weapons against Russians when he promised to respond “in kind” if Russia launched such an attack. The White House later clarified that Biden did not intend to use chemical weapons, which have been banned by international law.
Russia has been accused of using chemical weapons in Syria, and the Soviet Union was accused of using chemical and biological weapons during its failed occupation of Afghanistan.
Putin announced a “special military operation” against Ukraine last month after years of violence concerning the disputed Donbass region in Eastern Ukraine. Russia claims the “special military operation” was necessary to prevent Ukrainian state violence against ethnic Russians, while Ukraine, NATO, and much of the international community say the invasion was unprovoked.
