EU spokesperson Stano on upcoming visit of Russian president to Turkey: It should be reminded that Putin is wanted by International Criminal Court, there is arrest warrant
The European Union commented on the upcoming visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Turkey on 12 February and reminded that the International Criminal Court had issued an arrest warrant for him.
According to Censor.NET, citing Interfax-Ukraine, this was stated by a representative of the EU External Action Service, Peter Stano, at a briefing in Brussels.
"When it comes to Putin's trip to Turkey, I just need to remind you that Putin is wanted by the International Criminal Court, he has an arrest warrant. He is the one who personifies the brutal, inhuman aggression against Ukraine, against European stability, against the rules-based world order. So we hope that our Turkish partners are aware of this and that they are equally aware that everything that has come out of the Kremlin in terms of supposed efforts to find a peaceful solution has been completely false, has been completely frivolous, and with the constant escalation of the conflict, I think everyone sees in reality what kind of credibility any efforts or any initiatives by the Russian side can have," Stano said.
At the same time, Stano stated that the European Union believes that the Ukrainian Formula for Peace is "the best basis for achieving what Ukraine needs, which is a just peace that respects international law and Ukraine's sovereignty". "The European Union has always supported any credible initiative that would lead to a just peace. From our point of view, the best platform for achieving this just peace, in compliance with international law and respect for Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, is the Ukrainian Formula for Peace. This has been confirmed by ongoing diplomatic efforts in international negotiations on this issue at the level of diplomatic advisers on issues most recently in Davos, where about 80 countries participated," the representative of the Foreign Ministry elaborated.
As you know, Turkey has not ratified the Rome Statute, so it is not obliged to arrest Putin.
As a reminder, on 17 March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Russian Presidential Children's Ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova.
