Armenia and Georgia Sign Declaration Supporting Putin’s ‘Arrest’

Armenia and Georgia have signed a Council of Europe (CoE) declaration that supports the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for the “arrest” of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Document published on the CE website.

According to statement According to the press service of the association, the declaration sets out principles for “resolving the most important issues of justice” related to the conflict in Ukraine. The ministers of justice of the CoE member states and observer states adopted the document at a meeting chaired by Lithuania. The principles listed in it are of a recommendatory nature.

In addition to Armenia and Georgia, the declaration was supported by Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine and Moldova, as well as the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Great Britain and a number of other countries. At the same time, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovakia and Serbia abstained from supporting the document.

The declaration lists ICC warrants for the “arrest” of Putin, children’s ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova, Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu and other Russian political figures. It also calls for the creation of a special tribunal “for crimes of aggression against Ukraine.” It also calls for the preparation of a corresponding draft bilateral agreement between the Council of Europe and the Ukrainian government.

On March 17, 2023, the ICC issued an “arrest” warrant for Putin. This decision was made due to the situation in Ukraine. Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute and does not recognize the ICC’s decisions.