By Trevor Hunnicutt and Jarrett Renshaw

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden and his aides, as well as Western allies, are trying to understand his comment that Russian leader Vladimir Putin couldn’t remain in power due to their refusal to increase conflict between Washington, Moscow. Officials said they were unsure of the motives.

At the 27-minute mark of Biden’s speech in Warsaw Saturday, the nine-word phrase distracted from some of the finest rhetorical pieces of Biden’s presidency. This line caused concern among foreign allies at the close of a highly successful trip to unify allies against Russia and raised questions about the United States long-term strategy in dealing with its Cold War adversary.

Biden, who had condemned Putin’s prolonged war in Ukraine for a month, said that “for God’s sake this man can not remain in power”.

A White House official confirmed to Reuters that the reference about Putin wasn’t in the speech script. When asked if the sentiment was true to Biden’s feelings, the official did not answer but said that the U.S. president had never hesitated calling his Russian counterpart a “butcher”, and a “war criminal”.

Biden made some bad verbal choices during his political career. Biden stated that the United States would “inkind” respond to Russia’s use of chemical weapons in Ukraine during his European visit. He also suggested that U.S. soldiers would be sent to the frontlines. Neither of these are U.S. policies.

His Saturday remark was different. Instead, he spoke from the teleprompter to an audience. A crowd of approximately 1,000 people backed Biden in calling for Putin to be removed from power minutes prior. They clapped, waved flags, and started chants just before his remarks.

Biden’s emotional statement echoed the dismay that Western countries and U.S. voters feel over the invasion of Ukraine.

Officials explained that it came after officials met with Biden and Ukrainian refugees who had been displaced by war, and officials from Ukraine were trying to address Russian bombing campaign that has ravaged cities, and killed at most 1,119 civilians, according to United Nations Human Rights Office.

However, this remark echos the long-standing allegations from Russia and other countries that the United States wants an imperialistic position in international conflicts. It also escalates tensions, as the West attempts to control an ever more unpredictable Putin.

It was swift and extensive, a sign of the strong will within the administration not to escalate with Russia.

U.S. Secretary of State, White House Press Office, U.S. Ambassador to NATO and German Chancellor dismissed the notion of regime change within one day. Biden, himself, bluntly stated “No” when asked by Washington reporters if he was calling for regime changes.

Biden said Monday that his comment was based on his moral outrage at Putin’s actions and not a change in policy. But he said, “If the Russian leader continues on the course he is on, he’s going to be a pariah throughout the world and who knows what kind of support he gets at home.”

Biden’s administration officials have stated in recent weeks they are increasingly worried about Putin’s decisions and Russia’s casual invocations of the threat to nuclear weapons. This made Biden’s statements even more shocking.

WHAT IS THE EXTENDING GAME?

Recent weeks have seen the Biden administration distance itself from U.S. suggestions. Senator Lindsey Graham (NYSE 🙂 believes that Putin’s removal is the only way out of the Ukraine crisis.

However, it described Russian bank officials, Russian government officials, and Russian banks as direct actions directed against Putin. It was an attempt at alienating him domestically, and even on the international stage.

Putin has become more isolated from the rest of the world than ever,” Biden stated during the March 1 State of the Union Address to Congress. A week later, he declared plans to squeeze Putin even further.

Biden failed to convince Putin that he should not invade Ukraine despite engaging with him directly. Biden tried to talk directly with the Russians since the invasion began on February 24th. In Warsaw, President Obama stated that “you, Russian people, do not represent our enemy.”

Biden officials are not willing to answer questions on the White House’s vision of the “end game” scenario surrounding the Ukraine invasion. They also don’t think Putin will deescalate conflict.

Dmitry Medvedev was one of Putin’s closest allies and warned the United States last week about the possibility of a weak leadership in Moscow. He said that Russia’s president might be ousted from office “with the maximum amount of nuclear weapons directed at the United States of America and Europe.”

Dmitry Peskov (Kremlin spokesperson) responded to questions about Biden’s remarks in Warsaw. The comment received only limited coverage by Russian state television.

Andrew Lohsen is an expert in the conflict and a Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He warned that this was part of Russian disinformation campaigns designed to mislead the motives of the United States.

This story has been corrected to correct a typo at paragraph 6.