According to the Kremlin, Biden does not have the authority to decide whether Putin should remain in power

*Paromita Das

The Kremlin rejected US President Joe Biden’s remark on Saturday that Vladimir Putin “cannot remain in power,” saying it was up to Russians to elect their own president.

In response to Biden’s remark, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters: “That is not a decision for Biden to make. Russians elect the country’s president.”

According to a White House official, Biden’s remarks in Warsaw did not advocate for “regime change” in Russia. but rather that “Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbours or the region.” Peskov did not respond immediately to a follow-up request for comment on the White House clarification.

Biden has escalated his personal attacks on Putin since the Russian president launched an invasion of Ukraine last month, and the Kremlin has responded by questioning the US president’s mental state.

It accused Biden of making “personal insults” to Putin last week after he called him a “war criminal” and a “murderous dictator,” and said his remarks appeared to be fueled by irritation, fatigue, and forgetfulness.

Dmitry Rogozin, the outspoken head of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, joked on social media that the clarification of Biden’s recent remarks came from the White House medical unit.
Rogozin has previously slammed what he called “Alzheimer’s sanctions” imposed on Russia by the US over the Ukraine war, which Moscow refers to as a special military operation.