The 46th US President’s remarks came after he made an emotional visit to some of the more than 3 million Ukrainians who have fled from their war-torn country and as Russia rained bombs down on the Ukrainian town of Lviv, just a few hundred miles away from Biden’s location in Warsaw. Mr Biden warned the West would intervene if the Russian leader moved on to “one single inch of Nato territory”.
He said: “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power.”
His controversial statement left the White House reeling as they rushed to issue a correction.
The White House issued a statement saying he was not referencing a “regime change”.
A spokesman added: “The president’s point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbours or the region.”
Mr Biden’s statement did not go down well with the Kremlin that reacted furiously over the quote.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response: “This is not to be decided by Mr Biden.
“It should only be a choice of the people of the Russian Federation.”
Speaking outdoors in the cobbled courtyard of the Royal Castle in Warsaw, which was lit with the colours of Poland and Ukraine, Biden accused Putin of “using brute force and disinformation” to rule.
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Mr Biden’s statement did not go down well with the Kremlin that reacted furiously over the quote.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response: “This is not to be decided by Mr Biden.
“It should only be a choice of the people of the Russian Federation.”
Speaking outdoors in the cobbled courtyard of the Royal Castle in Warsaw, which was lit with the colours of Poland and Ukraine, Biden accused Putin of “using brute force and disinformation” to rule.
“The American people will stand with you and the brave citizens of Ukraine that want peace.”
He further warned Putin’s aggression could bring “decades of war” to Europe.
Mr Biden said: “It’s nothing less than a direct challenge for the order established since World War II and it threatens to return to decades of war that ravaged Europe before the international rule-based order was put in place. We cannot go back to that.”
This is the second such instance in the last two days where the US President’s statement had to be clarified by the White House.
On Friday, the White House said American troops would not be going into Ukraine after Biden appeared to suggest there could be “boots on the ground”.
He told paratroopers in Poland. “You’re going to see when you’re there — some of you have been there — you’re going to see women, young people, standing in the middle, in front of a damn tank, saying, ‘I’m not leaving.’”
