US President Joe Biden welcomes Vladimir Putin arrest warrant saying he’s 'clearly committed war crimes'

US President Joe Biden has spoken out about the news the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin
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US President Joe Biden has welcomed the arrest warrant which has been issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Russian leader Vladmimr Putin. The warrant was announced by the council earlier this week.

Mr Biden has said that the arrest warrant is “justified” because the Russian President has “clearly committed war crimes”. The warrant has been issued to the President following his invasion of Ukraine which has led to a war that has raged for over a year.

The ICC alleges he is responsible for war crimes, including the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. Despite the warrant, the ICC has no powers to arrest suspects, and can only exercise jurisdiction within countries who are signed up to the agreement that set up the court.

The warrant means that if Mr Putin was to step in any of the ICC’s 123 member states he would be arrested. The Kremlin, which doesn’t recognise the ICC, has responded to the warrant.

They have described the warrant as “outrageous and unacceptable.” An arrest warrant has also been issued for Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children, on similar allegations of war crimes.

Mr Biden was talking at a news conference on Friday (March 17). His comments about the warrant also covered the fact the USA also does not recognise the ICC.

He added: "I think it’s justified [the warrant]. But the question is - it’s not recognised internationally by us either. But I think it makes a very strong point.”

International Criminal Court member states

There are 123 ‘States Parties’ or member states to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Of these countries, 33 are African States, 19 are Asia-Pacific States, 18 are from Eastern Europe, 28 are from Latin American and Caribbean States, and 25 are from Western European and other States.

A

Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria

B

Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso

C

Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic

D

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic

E

Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia,

F

Fiji, Finland, France

G

Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana

H

Honduras, Hungary

I

Iceland, Ireland, Italy

J

Japan, Jordan

K

Kenya, Kiribati

L

President Joe Biden has welcomed the arrest warrant issued for Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo: Getty) President Joe Biden has welcomed the arrest warrant issued for Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo: Getty)
President Joe Biden has welcomed the arrest warrant issued for Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo: Getty)

Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg

M

Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro

N

Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway

P

Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal

R

Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania

S

Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, State of Palestine, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland

T

Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia

U

Uganda, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay

V

Vanuatu, Venezuela

Z

Zambia