The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes, accusing him of “illegal deportation of children” from Ukraine’s occupied territories to Russia. The court’s decision comes on the day Moscow and Beijing confirmed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the Russian capital early next week, with plans to sign agreements marking the “new era” of the relationship between the two countries .
“A historic decision,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said after “the head of a terrorist state” was “accused of war crimes”. The head of diplomacy, Dmytro Kuleba, congratulated himself because “the wheels of justice are in motion”. In addition to the arrest warrant against Putin, another was issued against the Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, for the same crimes. “International criminals will be held responsible for the theft of children,” he said.
In a statement, ICC President Piotr Hofmanski explained that warrants are normally kept secret to protect victims and the investigation. “However, recognizing that the conduct being addressed in the current situation is allegedly ongoing and that the public disclosure of the warrants may help prevent the continuation of the commission of crimes, the court held that it in the interests of justice is the disclosure of the warrants”, mention.
Russia has also responded, as the arrest warrants mean nothing. “The decisions of the ICC have no meaning for our country,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, claiming that “Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and has no obligation whatsoever with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the court’s questions “outrageous” and “unacceptable” and when asked whether Putin would be afraid to travel to countries that recognize the ICC, he said he would not add anything.
Moscow has made no secret of programs involving Ukrainian children — it is estimated that more than 6,000 children have been placed in 43 re-education camps and orphanages. On February 16, Lvova-Belova went to Putin’s residence on the outskirts of Moscow to explain how the initiative worked, saying during the televised meeting that she had also adopted a 15-year-old boy from Mariupol. “Now I know what it means to be a mother of a child from Donbass. It’s hard, but we love each other. I think we can handle anything”he then said.
In addition to their five biological children, Lvova-Belova, 38, and her husband (a former computer programmer who was ordained an Orthodox priest in 2019) have adopted five children. She also has custody of 13 others, with disabilities, who are in charge of her foundation.
Lvova-Belova, quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency, said she would continue to work. “It’s great that the international community appreciates the work we do to help our country’s children: 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 and caring people.”, he said, stating that he was also targeted by sanctions from several countries and that he is now the target of the arrest warrant.
Visit from Xi Jinping
Russia and China, meanwhile, have confirmed Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow, with an informal lunch with Putin scheduled for Monday and a formal meeting on Tuesday. followed by joint press conference. The Kremlin said the two presidents should sign agreements marking “a new era” of relations between their respective countries.
Beijing has said this is “a visit for peace” from Xi, who has been confirmed for a historic third term. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said: “China will maintain its objective and fair stance on the Ukrainian crisis and play a constructive role in advancing peace talks.” It has not been confirmed that Xi Jinping intends to speak for the first time via video call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after the visit to Moscow. China unveiled its 12-point “peace plan” on the anniversary of the Russian invasion.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the US would not support any call for a ceasefire Xi Jinping made in Moscow as it would only benefit Russia at this point . “A ceasefire is now effectively a ratification of the Russian conquest” and would leave Moscow with its hands free “to rebuild, re-equip and upgrade its troops so they can resume attacks on Ukraine,” Kirby said. “We do not believe this is a step towards a just and lasting peace,” he added.
Source: DN
