Portugal would take its responsibility and detain the Russian president if he traveled to the country, the foreign minister assured Monday in Brussels, adding that he expects the same from the other 122 signatory countries of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
At a press conference at the end of a Foreign Affairs Council, João Gomes Cravinho answered in the affirmative when asked whether Portugal would detain Vladimir Putin if he traveled to the country, following the ICC’s arrest warrant against the Russian president last Friday for war crimes in Ukraine.
“Yes. And this is our expectation also in relation to the other 122 countries that have signed” of the ICC, he stated.
remember that “there are 123 countries that have signed the Rome Statute, the fundamental statute of the ICC, and these 123 countries have as one of their responsibilities to respond to any arrest warrant”the minister stressed that “Portugal takes its responsibility as a signatory” of the ICC.
Last Friday, the ICC issued an arrest warrant against the Russian president for war crimes, in particular for his alleged involvement in child abductions in Ukraine.
The ICC’s Attorney General, in his petition for an arrest warrant for Putin, identified the deportation to Russia of “at least hundreds of children from orphanages and children’s homes” as Ukrainians.
The arrest warrant against the Kremlin head was described by Russia as “legally null and void” as the country does not recognize the legitimacy of the ICC.
João Gomes Cravinho reported to the Council that took place in Brussels this Monday – first only at the level of the 27 heads of diplomacy and in the afternoon with a joint meeting with defense ministers – pointing out that support for Ukraine was obviously the main issue on the agenda, at the first meeting of EU foreign ministers since the first anniversary of the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, on 24 February.
One of the issues being addressed, he said, was “the need to reconcile sanctions […] with food security requirements for the poorest countries”then commenting on the compromise reached last Saturday for the extension of the export agreement of Ukrainian grains through the Black Sea, but this time for only 60 days, imposed by Russia.
“We welcome the extension of the Black Sea grain initiative, while expressing deep concern that the extension was only for two months, showing Russia’s willingness to use the weapon of food security or food insecurity to their own advantage. “he said.
Russia clarified on Saturday that it had agreed to extend the agreement to export Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, but for only 60 days and not 120 as claimed by Kiev.
On Wednesday, Turkey announced that it was negotiating with Ukraine and Russia for another 120-day extension of the grain deal, instead of the 60 days Moscow had announced.
The agreement, approved in July 2022 under the mediation of the UN and Turkey, was last extended last November and was due to expire last Saturday.
The deal has enabled the export of 25 million tons of grain on more than 1,600 merchant ship voyages since last July. Fifty-five percent of this food went to developing countries.
Source: DN
