This US denies In a speech in Warsaw on Saturday, Joe Biden appeared to call for the removal of the Russian president, saying that “for God’s sake, this man cannot stay in power” and that it was seeking to overthrow Vladimir Putin’s regime.

“We don’t have a strategy for regime change in Russia or anywhere else,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the next morning, as European leaders stressed the importance of avoiding escalating geopolitical tensions .Blinken is in damage control mode after Biden’s increasingly acrimonious portrayal of Putin, sparking speculation that Washington is lose control of their information.

Biden also warned transatlantic democracies to “The long fight ahead” Protect freedom in Europe when speaking in Poland. “The President’s White House pointed out last night that, simply, President Putin has no right to wage war or aggression against Ukraine or anyone else,” Blinken added.

In other developments:

Are you personally affected by the war in Ukraine? We would like to hear from you.

Thank you for reading FirstFT Asia. Here’s the rest of the news today – Sophia.

Five more stories in the news

1. The rise of Russian espionage has shocked Europe Dozens of Russian operatives and diplomats were expelled from the Eastern European country this month, and dozens more remain active across the continent.Russia Covert operations keep expandingallowing counterintelligence to catch up with Moscow’s undercover activities.

2. China supports Russia on the grounds of Indo-Pacific NATO Chinese diplomats have gone on a rhetorical offensive, arguing that Joe Biden’s “free and open Indo-Pacific” strategy – linking the United States, Japan, Australia and India together – poses a threat to them.This could eventually force China decoupling from the west And achieve self-sufficiency in everything from food to semiconductors.

3. Nuclear deal with Iran stalled due to terrorist designation Tehran has demanded that Washington remove Iran’s most powerful military force, the Revolutionary Guard, from its list of terrorist groups.After 12 months of indirect negotiations to reach a deal, a senior U.S. official warned the deal was not necessarily inevitable.

4. Chinese developers excluded from global debt markets Evergrande’s crisis spreads wider across markets as borrowing costs soar and issuance drought Transactions come to a standstill For Chinese real estate developers.

5. North Korea claims its ‘monster missile’ was a success The country says its nuclear forces are ready to “completely contain any danger” [US] a military attempt”, but some observers are skeptical of the North Korean version of events. Colin Zwirko, senior analyst at NK Pro, points to a wealth of visual evidence that The launch wasn’t that successful As North Korea claims.

the day ahead

Shanghai continues to lock down four-day lockdown The Shanghai financial district and nine other districts started today as the city tries to contain the latest Covid outbreak.

Europe develops refugee plan EU interior ministers meet in Brussels today to discuss refugee crisis caused by the Ukrainian invasion.

Japan unveils economic rescue plan Komeito party leader Natsuo Yamaguchi said the package would include proposals to expand gas subsidies and other measures Ease the pain of soaring costs. (Reuters)

what are we still reading

The 200-year quest for peace in Russia, Ukraine and Europe As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its second month, we find ourselves in a world many Europeans thought they had left for good — a world of annexation and division. What today’s negotiators can learn from centuries of statecraft?

Reviving the Chinese market is not a one-time-for-all Despite the positive response to assurances last week by senior economic official Liu He that China would roll out market-friendly policies, there are still hurdles. Alicia García-Herrero explains The toughest question on his pitch.

Japan broker scandal exposes trading floor bluff As the investigation into SMBC Nikko continues, prosecutors have amassed a large Ruthless internal communication Whether convicted or not, reading aloud in court can sound damning.

Venture capitalists choose crypto deals over board seats Something unusual is happening in the freewheeling world of cryptocurrencies: Potential investors are not offered a board seat for a company that is the founder of a digital asset group designed to avoid oversight.

Fertilizer inflation could trigger global food supply crisis Until recently, Russia was the second largest fertilizer exporter to the United States, Lack of competition in the industry is one of many factors that has caused prices to more than double since last year.

television

bridgetonThe steamy Shonda Rhimes-produced period drama returns this weekend for a second season with a South Asian family at the heart of its storyline. “make sure [south Asian women with darker skin] It feels like we haven’t seen enough of it yet,” Rhimes said in Netflix’s pre-launch pitch. Kate Finnegan explores how The Beauty of South Asian Aesthetics Reflected in the show’s gorgeous costumes.