In order to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, President Trump said he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin “very shortly” at a location and date he would reveal “a little bit later” on Friday.
It’s still unknown when and, more importantly, where these discussions might take place. However, since Putin could be arrested by the International Criminal Court (ICC), it might be difficult to create a neutral ground for these talks.
A warrant for Putin’s arrest on war crime accusations was issued by the ICC in The Hague in 2023. Given that the Russian president might be arrested in any of the more than 120 ICC member nations, this now restricts the places where Trump and Putin can meet.
What is the ICC and why can it issue arrest warrants?
Based in The Hague, Netherlands, the International Criminal Court (ICC) formally started operations in July 2002 in response to the demand for a permanent international court that would handle crimes committed during war.
The Rome Statute, which established the international court, has been signed by 125 nations since 1999. Russia and the United States are not members. Ukraine joined the group in 2024.
Only the most heinous crimes—genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression—are subject to the ICC’s ability to bring criminal charges.
The court depends on nations’ help to conduct arrests, move detained individuals to ICC detention in The Hague, and enforce sentences because it lacks its own police force or enforcement agency.
Due to accusations that Russia has kidnapped Ukrainian children and committed war crimes, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin two years ago. At the time, the ICC also issued a warrant for Maria Lvova-Belova, Putin’s commissioner for children’s rights.
Although they have not denied the entry of Ukrainian youngsters into the nation, Russian officials have described their arrival as a humanitarian initiative for war-traumatized orphans.
The ICC has brought such grave accusations against several sitting heads of state besides Putin. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was the subject of arrest warrants issued by the international court in November for suspected war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. The court also issued warrants for several Hamas officials, including Muhammad Deif, the military leader of Hamas whom Israel claims it killed in August, and Yoav Gallant, Israel’s previous defense minister.
Israel denied the accusations made against Gallant and Netanyahu.
‘Russians don’t care about the ICC’
Government officials and critics have frequently questioned the ICC’s legitimacy and authority.
According to Nina Khrushcheva, a professor of international affairs at The New School in New York, “Russians don’t care about the ICC,” particularly because of the belief that the United States has shown hypocrisy about the court.
“It is outrageous that the ICC is issuing arrest warrants against Israeli leaders,” stated then-President Joe Biden in a statement following the ICC’s filing of arrest warrants against Netanyahu. Let me reiterate: Israel and Hamas are not comparable, regardless of what the ICC may suggest. In the event that Israel’s security is threatened, we will always support it.
However, the United States responded more favorably to the international organization after the ICC issued a warrant against Putin.”There is no doubt that Russia is committing war crimes and atrocities in Ukraine, and we have been clear that those responsible must be held accountable,” White House National Security Council spokesman Adrienne Watson told NPR at the time. As an independent actor, the ICC prosecutor bases his prosecution choices on the available evidence. We are in favor of holding war criminals accountable.
According to Khrushcheva, “So for Putin, it’s yet another confirmation for him that the West is fairly hypocritical, and so he doesn’t pay attention to it.”
Putin visited Mongolia, which has been a member of the ICC since 2002, back in September. Putin was never arrested, and the trip proceeded without incident.
According to Indiana University professor David Bosco, who talked to NPR’s All Things Considered last year, the court believes that Mongolia had a duty to honor the ICC’s arrest request as a member state.
However, Bosco stated, “Mongolia is also located directly between China and Russia, two nations with whom it has strong economic ties. Furthermore, neither of those nations is an ICC member. The ICC is not amicable with either of them. And Mongolia made the obvious decision that its diplomatic and economic interests exceeded its judicial duties.
What are the leaders’ options?
Although experts and analysts have long stated that there is very little likelihood of Putin being arrested, it is improbable that the Russian leader would risk holding such a crucial meeting in an unfriendly environment. Khrushcheva stated.
Thus, many of the 125 nations listed as ICC members are still probably excluded by this. Technically, there are still over 70 countries available, but even fewer are welcoming to both the United States and Russia.
Given that Russia and the United States enjoy positive relations with a number of nations in the Middle East, Khrushcheva thinks the region appears to be the most potential for a meeting between the two sides.
“Either the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia Turkey are all potential options,” she stated.
The likelihood of this happening is further increased by the fact that past negotiations between Russia and Ukraine took place in Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
According to Khrushcheva, several Middle Eastern countries have “raised their status quite a bit,” as a result of maintaining these neutral bargaining grounds.
Additionally, hosting important international negotiations has become more and more common in the Middle East. Since the war in Gaza started in October 2023, Israel and Hamas have been holding sensitive talks in the small, affluent Arab Gulf nation of Qatar, which is also an ally of the United States. Egypt was also instrumental in settling the dispute.
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