When Russian President Vladimir Putin travels to Alaska subsequent week to fulfill with President Donald Trump, he will give you the option accomplish that with confidence that he gained’t be arrested.
That’s as a result of whereas Putin is topic to an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued in 2023, neither Russia nor the US are signatories to the Rome Statute, which set up the court docket in 2002.
The ICC charged that the Russian chief was “allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of (children)” from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia. The Kremlin labeled the court docket’s actions as “outrageous and unacceptable.”
Putin has been cautious along with his journey itineraries for the reason that warrant was issued. In 2023, he declined an invitation to a summit in South Africa. But, a yr later, he did make his approach to China and North Korea, neither of which is signed up to the court docket.
The ICC depends on members to arrest and extradite suspects to The Hague, the place it’s based mostly.
In 2023, Putin did journey to Mongolia, which is a signatory. Mongolia asserted that underneath Article 98 of the Rome Statute, a state can not “act inconsistently with its obligations under international law with respect to the (…) diplomatic immunity of a person.”
As Russia’s head of state, the Mongolians argued Putin enjoys absolute immunity from ICC proceedings until Russia waives it.
The court docket rejected that declare, saying that one other article removes all immunities. A panel of judges stated member states “are duty-bound to arrest and surrender individuals subject to ICC warrants, regardless of official position or nationality.”
Not solely has the US by no means been a signatory to the Rome Statute, however in February Trump ordered sanctions against the court after it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former protection minister Yoav Gallant.
An govt order accused the ICC of partaking in “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.”