Ambassador of Ukraine in Chisinau: The arrest warrant issued against Vladimir Putin is legal
The arrest warrant issued last week by the International Criminal Court against Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation's Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, is legal, even though Russia has not ratified the Treaty of Rome, which is at the base of the International Criminal Court, is the opinion of the Ambassador of Ukraine in Chisinau, Marko Schevcenko. On the other hand, the spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, called the mandate "irrelevant" because Russia has not ratified the Treaty of Rome, which is why it has "no legal obligation" either. During the public debates organized today by the IPN Agency, titled "Arrest warrant for Putin: effects for Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Europe", the expert Igor Boțan mentioned that the president of Russia can be arrested by 123 states, signatories of the Treaty of at Rome.
If Russia does not recognize the arrest warrant against President Vladimir Putin, citing the reason that it has withdrawn from the Treaty of Rome, there are other ways of punishing war crimes committed by the Russian Federation, including punishing the Kremlin leader, said the Ambassador of Ukraine in Chisinau, Marko Schevcenko.
"Any criminal who recognizes or does not recognize the jurisdiction of the Court must be held accountable, especially in relation to crimes against humanity, crimes against children, crimes of aggression. The Hague Court is not the only one at stake. There are several decisions at international forums, including the one at the G7 Summit where the participants decided or adopted a decision that a special international tribunal for crimes of aggression must be created," the ambassador said. The Republic of Moldova, a signatory of the Treaty of Rome, has the obligation to join the International Criminal Court's approach regarding the arrest of Vladimir Putin, said expert Igor Boțan. He mentioned that our country, a candidate for EU membership, must join the European Union sanctions against the Russian Federation for starting the war in Ukraine.
"On the very day of the release of the mandate, Mrs. President Maia Sandu appeared in the Parliament with a very energizing message in which she called things right. Later, in a TV show, the lady president said very clearly that the Republic of Moldova supports the release of this arrest warrant because in 2016 the Republic of Moldova adopted the law which emphasizes that our country has the obligation to honor its international obligations. From this point of view, our country has joined all these steps", said Igor Boțan.
We remind you that, last week, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant in the name of the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, for the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine, considered by the Court to be a war crime. It is also aimed at the presidential commissioner for children's rights in the Russian Federation, Maria Lvova-Belova. The international community appreciated the decision of the Hague Court, while the spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry called the decision irrelevant, as Russia does not recognize the International Criminal Court.
