US' Blinken says no plans for regime change in Russia

JERUSALEM

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that Washington has no strategies for regime change in Russia.

"We don't have a strategy of regime change in Russia or anywhere else for that matter," Blinken told a joint news conference in Jerusalem with his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid.

"In this case, as in any case, it's up to the people of the country in question, it's up to the Russian people," Blinken added.

The chief US diplomat was clarifying what President Joe Biden said on Saturday in Poland on the Russian president, where he said Vladimir Putin "cannot remain in power."

Blinken arrived in Israel for a summit which will be attended by foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Egypt.

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar