Switzerland May Grant Putin Immunity for Peace Talks

Switzerland is considering granting diplomatic immunity to Russian President Vladimir Putin to allow him to participate in potential peace talks on the conflict in Ukraine. This was announced in a statement by Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, as quoted by international news agencies. The decision, which allows an exception to international legal norms, comes against the backdrop of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the Russian head of state.

During a press conference in Bern, Switzerland's top diplomat explained his country's position in detail. He specified that Putin's access to Swiss territory would only be possible under strictly defined conditions that exclude his personal presence and limit it to the purposes of organizing a peace conference.

"Last year, the federal government defined the rules for granting immunity to a person who is under international arrest. This is in case "they come for a peace conference, not for personal reasons", explained Ignazio Cassis."

This statement by the Swiss government is seen as a potential facilitator of efforts to start a dialogue, especially after French President Emmanuel Macron raised the topic of a peace summit. Macron, who is one of the leading European voices for finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict, proposed Switzerland as a neutral venue for such a meeting between Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. "In a neutral country, maybe Switzerland. I insist on Geneva", the French leader said in an interview with the LCI television channel earlier on Tuesday.

The ICC Arrest Warrant

Cassis' statement draws attention to the legal and political challenges associated with the international charges against the Russian president. On March 17, 2023, the ICC in The Hague issued an official arrest warrant for Putin on charges related to the "unlawful deportation" and "transfer" of Ukrainian children from the occupied regions of Ukraine to Russia. These actions were qualified by the international court as war crimes. An arrest warrant was also issued on the same charges for Russia's Commissioner for Children's Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova.

The ICC's decision provoked sharp reactions. Ukraine and the European Union welcomed the court's actions as a key step towards restoring international justice and affirming the principles of international law. At the same time, the Kremlin rejected the charges and categorically refused to recognize the jurisdiction of the court in The Hague. The Russian authorities condemned the arrest warrant, describing it as a manifestation of Western hostility toward Russia. In response, Moscow initiated criminal prosecution against the ICC prosecutor and judges who issued the warrant.