Now that the arrest warrant for the Russian President Vladimir Putin was issued, any meeting between representatives of the civilized world and Vladimir Putin is out of the question. Also, now that the International Criminal Court (ICC) passed its judgment, the Russian elites will start to look for another person who would take the place of the current Russian leader, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Moldova Marko Shevchenk stated in IPN’s public debate “Arrest warrant for Putin: effects for Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Europe”.
The ICC’s panel of judges agreed that there were “reasonable grounds” to believe Putin and his children’s rights commissioner, Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, bore responsibility for the “unlawful deportation” of Ukrainian children. The Ukrainian diplomat said he is convinced that the Court’s decision will change the viewpoint of the Russian political and economic elites on the war.
“I’m sure that the elites of Russia will further throw support to Putin. This is the essence of the regime built by Putin in Russia and there is no other way for companies or politicians in the Russian Federation, which want to remain in politics, to show their complete loyalty to Putin. On the other hand, I’m sure that the decision taken by the Court in The Hague will launch particular internal processes and the Russian elites will start to look for other ways out. The process of looking for a person who would replace Vladimir Putin will be launched. I now don’t believe that an official meeting of a European representative with a wanted international criminal can take place. The force of law beats the right of the force even in the case of a nuclear state, “stated Ambassador Marko Shevchenko.
According to the diplomat, the ICC’s decision was made public to prevent other crimes. The issuing of the arrest warrant does not influence the end of the war, but makes the Russian occupants to realize that any war crime committed on the occupied territories will be harshly penalized.
“The goal is to punish those who are to blame and those who will see this example will no longer execute criminal orders. Everyone speaks about Putin’s immunity, but the arrest warrant was issued against two persons. We hope this lady will be punished earlier. I’m not sure that this decision contributes to the shortening of the length of the war. The situation depends more on the Ukrainian troops. But those who commit war crimes must realize that as an arrest warrant against Putin was issued, they will not escape punishment. The criminals will be identified and held to account. I now think that even a Russian soldier in a Ukrainian village will think if he does something bad to the population there or not. I hope limits will appear for them,” explained the diplomat.
The public debate entitled “Arrest warrant for Putin: effects for Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Europe” was the 278th installment of IPN’s project “Developing Political Culture through Public Debates” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany.
