 "A Ukrainian serviceman guards his position in Mariupol, Ukraine, Saturday, March 12, 2022. Ukrainian military says Russian forces have captured the eastern outskirts of the besieged city of Mariupol. (AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov)")
An influential Indian-American Congressman said on Sunday that the United States is in favour of a negotiated end to the Ukrainian war and that has to be with Russian President Vladimir Putin as a settlement.
Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna made the remarks in an interview to Fox News, a day after US President Joe Biden in his unscripted remarks in Europe indicated that he wants Putin to be out of power.
"For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power," Biden had said.
His comment drew widespread international attention, with observers wondering if Biden was advocating for a regime change in Moscow.
The White House later pushed back, and clarified that Biden is not advocating regime change.
Khanna reiterated that the US was in favour of a negotiated end to the Ukrainian war and that has to come with Putin as a settlement.
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I think the White House has been clear, they have been disciplined and they've said, we need a negotiated end to this war. That has to be with Putin as a settlement. It's not the policy of regime change. There's no support in the Democratic Congress for a regime change. We've been the party against regime change for the past 20 years, Khanna explained.
He, however, acknowledged that Putin would take advantage of the situation.
But let's see what we need to do. We need to make it as difficult for him. Look at what this president has doneWe've provided the anti-tank's. We've provided the anti-aircraft. We've provided over USD 2 billion of assistance. We have the most punishing sanctions. This present has rallied NATO. Look, it's easy to Monday morning quarterback and say, oh, you could have done one more thing. But this president, by and large, has been tough and we're going to get Putin and negotiate to bring a cease-fire to the war, Khanna said.
The Indian American Congressman said that the US will not have its bases in Ukraine.
I would not have US bases do that. Let's be clear what that means. It means US service members are going to go up in those skies in Ukraine and be shot at by Russian planesI don't want to put American service members at risk. If Poland wants to supply those planes, fine. And I want those planes to get to Zelenskyy, but not at the cost of American lives, he added.
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