Reactions to ICC’s arrest warrant for Putin citing Ukraine war crimes

(Reuters) – Following are reactions to the news on Friday that the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of the war crime of illegal deportation of children from Ukraine.

The court also issued a warrant for Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, on the same charges.

ICC STATEMENT ON THE CHARGE ACCUSING PUTIN

“The crimes were allegedly committed in Ukrainian occupied territory at least from 24 February 2022. There are reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Putin bears individual criminal responsibility for the aforementioned crimes.”

KREMLIN SPOKESMAN DMITRY PESKOV

Said Russia said Russia found the very questions raised by the ICC “outrageous and unacceptable”, but noted that Russia, like many other countries, did not recognise the jurisdiction of the ICC.

“And accordingly, any decisions of this kind are null and void for the Russian Federation from the point of view of law.”

Asked if Putin now feared travelling to countries that recognised the ICC and might therefore try to arrest him, Peskov told reporters: “I have nothing to add on this subject. That’s all we want to say.”

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESWOMAN MARIA ZAKHAROVA

“The decisions of the International Criminal Court have no meaning for our country, including from a legal point of view. Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and bears no obligations under it.”

RUSSIA CHILDREN’S COMMISSIONER MARIA LVOVA-BELOVA, QUOTED BY RIA NOVOSTI NEWS AGENCY

“It’s great that the international community has appreciated this work to help the children of our country: that we don’t leave them in war zones, that we take them out, that we create good conditions for them, that we surround them with loving, caring people.”

UKRAINE FOREIGN MINISTER DMYTRO KULEBA

“Wheels of Justice are turning: I applaud the ICC decision to issue arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova over forcible transfer of Ukrainian children. International criminals will be held accountable for stealing children and other international crimes.”

UKRAINE PROSECUTOR GENERAL ANDRIY KOSTIN

“This is a historic decision for Ukraine and the entire international law system. Today’s decision is a historic step. But it is only the beginning of the long road to restore justice.”

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY’S CHIEF OF STAFF, ANDRIY YERMAK

“It is only the beginning.”

CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER JAN LIPAVSKY

“Putin is undoubtedly responsible for war crimes and he should be put to trial for the crime of aggression. I welcome the decision of the International Criminal Court.”

(Reporting by Reuters bureaus, compiled by Frances Kerry; Editing by Jon Boyle and Frank Jack Daniel)