Switzerland has reportedly indicated that it would allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend potential Ukraine peace talks on its soil without facing arrest under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant. The Swiss government stated that such immunity would be granted if Putin’s participation is for peace negotiations rather than personal reasons. This move comes amid ongoing efforts to facilitate a resolution to the Ukraine conflict, with leaders from Russia, the US, and others considering a neutral venue for talks.
The decision follows a weekend during which Putin was welcomed to the United States by President Donald Trump, who days later hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his key Western European allies. Moscow confirmed its readiness to participate in further talks on a lasting resolution to the Ukraine conflict and indicated that its diplomatic presence at such talks would be raised. A potential venue for these talks has not yet been identified.
The Hague-based ICC issued arrest warrants in 2023 for Putin, as well as Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova, over alleged unlawful deportation and transfer of children from former Ukrainian territories. Moscow has dismissed these allegations as politically motivated, explaining that the children were evacuated out of the war zone for their safety. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told a press conference on Tuesday that, under certain circumstances, the Russian president would be allowed to set foot in Switzerland. He noted that the country has defined rules for granting immunity to a person under an international arrest warrant, stating that such immunity would apply if the person came for a peace conference, not for personal reasons.
Cassis added that Switzerland was ready for such a meeting, emphasizing that the country has always signaled its willingness, but it would naturally depend on the will of the major powers. He also mentioned that Switzerland could host such a summit despite the arrest warrant against Putin due to the country’s special role and Geneva’s status as the European headquarters of the UN. Russia, like the US, China, and Israel, is not a signatory to the ICC’s founding treaty and does not recognize its jurisdiction. French President Emmanuel Macron, who also took part in Monday’s talks with Trump, has reportedly raised the possibility of a peace summit being held in a neutral country, possibly Switzerland. He told French news channel LCI on Tuesday that he was pushing for Geneva as the potential location for the summit.