Macron warns against ‘escalation’ after Biden comments
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A view of a bomb crater after Russian shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
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US: US President Joe Biden’s apparent call for Vladimir Putin’s exit reverberated instantly around the world, sparking an administration rush to course-correct — and risks scrambling US efforts to rally a united front on the Ukraine conflict.
Biden’s comment that the Russian President “cannot remain in power” — delivered in Warsaw at the close of three days of marathon diplomacy — was termed “a horrendous gaffe” by one Republican Senator.
A senior US analyst said it could have the effect of lengthening the war.
And even France’s President Emmanuel Macron warned such language could “escalate” a conflict the United States and its NATO allies have sought at all costs to contain, and undercut Western efforts to help suffering Ukrainians.
The remark came as Biden wound up a forceful speech on Saturday capping what had been a widely-praised European visit, aimed at presenting a determined front against Russia’s invasion.
His ad-libbed words — “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain power” — caught even US advisors off guard. The White House sprung immediately into action, clarifying within minutes that Biden was not advocating “regime change” in Russia. When asked by reporters Sunday if that was what he was calling for, the President replied: “No.”
– THE HINDUSTAN TIMES
Tuesday, March 29, 2022 (All day)
