World News: Britain is not seeking to remove Russia’s Putin, says PM Johnson – Gulf Digital News

World News: Britain is not seeking to remove Russia’s Putin, says PM Johnson – Gulf Digital News

LONDON: Britain is focused on helping protect Ukrainians from the war and is not aiming to remove Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday.

US President Joe Biden has said that Putin "cannot remain in power", later clarifying that his words reflected his moral outrage at Russia's invasion of Ukraine and not a US policy shift. read more

Asked about Biden's comment, Johnson told a committee of lawmakers he understood "the frustrations that people feel about Putin".

"To desire a change of government in itself is not an ignoble thing ... that's the objective of a lot of democratic politics," Johnson said.

"But let's be absolutely clear, it's not the objective of the UK government, and it's very, very important that everybody gets this. We are simply setting out to help to protect the people of Ukraine, and to protect them against absolutely barbaric and unreasonable violence."

Johnson said Britain was looking at "going up a gear" in its support for Ukraine, including possibly providing armoured Land Rovers to help the Ukrainians provide humanitarian relief to encircled cities such as Mariupol.

Some G7 leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, have maintained direct dialogue with Putin since Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Feb.