Biden Says Not Walking Back Putin Comments, Was Expressing ‘Moral Outrage’ Not US Policy

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden said on Monday that he will not walk back recent comments challenging the continued leadership of Russian President Vladimir Putin, arguing that the comments were made based on personal feelings and do not indicate any policy changes.

Wrapping up his European tour, Biden said during his Saturday speech on Ukraine that Russian President Vladimir Putin "cannot remain in power." Later, a White House official said that Biden’s words about Putin were not endorsing a regime change in Russia, though leaders worldwide, and even politicians within the United States, have raised concerns over such a "gaffe."

"I’m not walking anything back … I was expressing the moral outrage I felt. I wasn’t articulating a policy change," Biden told reporters when asked about the comments following remarks on the new FY2023 budget proposal.

Biden also expressed that he does not believe the comments will escalate tensions or complicate diplomatic engagement between the United States and Russia.

"I don't know what changed his mind. His [Putin’s] behavior has changed. When we met [in Geneva], remember what we were talking about? We were talking about setting up a strategic dialogue and talking about the relationship of NATO and Russia and facing off in the regions and how we can have more transparency and all the rest. It was a normal discussion," Biden said during his remarks on the new budget proposal.

Regarding a possible meeting between him and Putin, Biden said, "It depends on what he wants to talk about."

The Kremlin earlier called Biden's statement on the Russia president "alarming."

"This is a statement that, of course, is alarming. We will continue to closely monitor the statements of the US president. We carefully record them and will continue to do so," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

The West scaled up its pressure on Moscow after Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine in the early hours of February 24. The move came after the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against the Kiev forces. Russia said that the aim of its special operation is to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine and that only military infrastructure is being targeted - the civilian population is not in danger. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it has no plans to occupy Ukraine.