In a speech in Warsaw on Sat., Biden stated that Putin "cannot remain in power." The White House says this wasn't a direct call for regime change. The comments came after Biden met with Polish president, Andrzej Duda, where he reaffirmed support and called America's commitment to defend NATO countries "a sacred obligation."
Meanwhile, an industrial oil storage facility was burned after a Russian strike in the Western city of Lviv, according to the city's mayor. The region hosts roughly 400,000 displaced Ukrainians, according to officials, and - apart from a warplane repair factory bombed Mar. 18 - had been largely untargeted so far.
This invasion is an egregious violation of international law. Putin's ultimate aim is to restore the Soviet empire, even if it takes massive bloodshed and false pretexts such as calling the 2014 Ukrainian revolution after a fraudulent election a "coup". This unprovoked attack is the latest chapter in Putin's Orwellian attempt to re-write history.
NATO and the US have ignored Russia's security concerns by breaking its promise not to expand eastward in return for German reunification. These concerns are legitimate and taking them seriously would have avoided the Ukraine tragedy.