Biden on Putin: ‘For God’s Sake, This Man Cannot Remain in Power’

What's the story?

• President Joe Biden concluded scripted remarks in Poland with an off-the-cuff line about Russian leader Vladimir Putin:

"For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power."

• In previous remarks, the president has referred to Putin as a "killer,” “butcher,” and “war criminal"--but Biden's latest statement has serious implications for de-escalation in Ukraine and had several lawmakers scrambling to clarify that the U.S. was not seeking a regime change in Moscow.

What are people saying?

Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) on NBC's "Meet the Press":

"Well, first, I think all of us believe the world would be a better place without Vladimir Putin," Portman said on Sunday. "But second, that's not the official U.S. policy, and by saying that — that regime change is our strategy — it plays into the hands of the Russian propagandists and plays into the hands of Vladimir Putin."

Mark Warner (D-VA) on CNN's "State of the Union":

"[T]here is one individual that's trying to make regime change in Europe and that's Vladimir Putin, trying to change the regime in Ukraine."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov:

“[I]t’s not up to the president of the U.S. and not up to the Americans to decide who will remain in power in Russia.”

-Josh Herman