French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said in an interview to be published on Sunday that the International Criminal Court’s issuance on Friday of an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin for war crimes in Ukraine was a “very significant” decision.
• Also read: The war in Ukraine: Why the arrest warrant against Putin won’t change anything
• Also read: Before Vladimir Putin, former presidents were wanted by the International Criminal Court
• Also read: Issuing an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin
“This decision is very important because it means that anyone responsible for war crimes or crimes against humanity must be held accountable, regardless of their status or rank,” the head of French diplomacy said in an interview with the Sunday Weekly newspaper. .
She continued, “There is no link in the chain that can now contemplate that they will escape justice and this should prompt many to think,” so it is a decision that could change the course of events.
The decision of the International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, relates to the “deportation” of thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia since the start of the conflict with Ukraine a year ago, which constitutes a war crime.
And while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described it as “historic,” Moscow mocked it and described it as “null and void,” because Russia is not a member of the International Criminal Court, and therefore does not recognize the jurisdiction of this court, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
“France supports the tribunal, just as it helps Ukrainian justice by immediately sending specialized teams to document violations or identify victims,” commented Catherine Colonna.
Asked about shipments of 13 MiG-29 fighters by Slovakia and 4 more from Poland, announced this week, the French foreign minister replied that “everything that helps Ukraine is useful.”
Countries with Soviet material that the Ukrainians already knew were able to make this decision. (…) To counter (the Russian attack), Ukraine must be able to resist with the means now available,” she added.
Regarding France’s delivery of more advanced combat aircraft in the future, “in principle, the President of the Republic and the Minister of the Armed Forces said, there is no taboo,” the head of French diplomacy reiterated.
