France has remained tight-lipped about whether it would arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin under the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant. This comes amid mounting scrutiny over France’s response to a similar warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Last week, the ICC charged Netanyahu, his former defense minister, and a Hamas military leader with war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Gaza conflict. France, along with other EU members, has ratified the ICC’s founding treaty, but officials pointed out that Netanyahu is shielded from ICC action due to Israel’s non-participation in the treaty.
The ICC also issued a warrant for Putin, alleging war crimes involving the unlawful deportation of hundreds of Ukrainian children. However, Russia has not signed the ICC treaty.
French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine emphasized that France’s stance regarding the warrants for both leaders remains consistent. “We may have been less precise when commenting on the case of Putin than we are now, but in any case, our position remains unchanged,” Lemoine stated.
When questioned about whether France would arrest Putin if he were to visit, Lemoyne asserted, “As for Vladimir Putin and all those who have committed crimes, there can be no impunity. They must be held accountable for their actions, and we have always said that we will apply international law in all its aspects.”
Nevertheless, Lemoine acknowledged the complexities surrounding immunity as defined by the ICC statute, noting that different states may interpret these provisions differently.
