Sir, – The mad scramble from US State Department officials to play down President Biden’s (apparently unscripted but nonetheless honestly felt) statement that Putin should not remain in power and to clarify that the US is not seeking regime change is unnecessary and unhelpful. Equally unwarranted is the implicit criticism of the US president coming from Emmanuel Macron, whose own personal strategy of continuing engagement with Putin has got nowhere.
In normal circumstances the question of who leads Russia is a matter for the Russians to decide. But not when you wage war and wreak havoc, destruction and mass murder on another country.
How on earth can Putin be held accountable for his appalling war crimes and still remain in power? Sooner or later he will have to go or be removed. – Yours, etc,
JOHN FANNING,
Malahide,
Co Dublin.