Point Of No Return As Joe Biden Says Vladimir Putin ‘Cannot Remain In Power’

US policy in disarray as White House is forced to row back president’s call for Russian leader to be removed By Josie Ensor Joe Biden appeared to call for regime change in Russia, as he said that Vladimir Putin “cannot remain in power” in a highly charged speech in Warsaw. “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power,” the US president said, as he urged democracies around the world to unite against the Russian president in a speech in Poland’s capital littered with historical references to war in Europe. The Kremlin issued a furious response, as critics accused Biden of playing into Putin’s hands. The White House immediately sought to clarify Biden’s comments, insisting his statement should not be taken as official policy. White House insiders said that the president’s remarks on removing Putin from power were not planned and came as a surprise to travelling officials. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said: “This not to be decided by Biden.