Biden Says Putin's 'Craven Lust For Land And Power' In Ukraine Will Fail

During an address Tuesday, President Joe Biden criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for his "craven lust" for Ukrainian land.

But he refrained from repeating his call for Putin's ouster ahead of the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine Friday, reported New York Post.

Nearly 11 months ago, Biden stunned his own staff when he said that Putin "cannot remain in power." It prompted an aide to quickly insist that Biden "was not discussing Putin's power in Russia." But later, the U.S. President said that he stood by what he said.

On Tuesday, he was more measured and stuck to his teleprompter.

Biden said in a public address near the Polish capital Warsaw's royal castle that Putin's "craven lust for land and power will fail and the Ukrainian people's love for their country will prevail."

He stressed that democracies of the world will "stand guard over freedom today, tomorrow, and forever."

Biden said that a dictator who is bent on "rebuilding an empire will never be able to ease the people's love of liberty." He added that brutality will never grind down the will of the free and Ukraine, and that "Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia."

Responding to Putin's comments hours earlier, Biden said that the West was "not planning to attack Russia, as Putin said today."

After targeting elite Russians over the past year, Biden's administration is e expected to announce "more sanctions this week" against Russian figures.

Biden's address came just hours after Putin delivered a speech to the Russian Federal Assembly. He falsely claimed that Ukraine and its allies in the West started the war last year, reported ABC12 News.

As for Putin, he didn't name Biden even once in a lengthy address from Moscow earlier in the day.

Senior US and European officials said that Putin's aims regarding Ukraine have not changed, according to CNN.

Even though Russian troops faced humiliating setbacks and an apparent power struggle between the Russian defense ministry and the Wagner Group, Russia recently made gains in the east of Ukraine. Russian troops seem poised to take Bakhmut, which is the first significant Russian military win in months.