Brazil’s president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has stated that his country will not adhere to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Lula made these comments while attending the G20 summit in New Delhi, India. He assured that Putin can visit Brazil without any fear of detention.
The arrest warrants were issued by the ICC in March 2023 for Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s children’s rights commissioner. The warrants accused them of engaging in the “unlawful deportation and transfer” of children. However, Moscow has vehemently denied these allegations, arguing that it was evacuating children to safety during its armed conflict with Ukraine.
Despite this, Putin declined to travel to South Africa, a country that is a party to the ICC, for a BRICS summit in August. Instead, he participated in the event remotely, further highlighting Russia’s opposition to the ICC’s authority.
Lula’s statement comes in the midst of growing tensions surrounding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. However, Brazil has chosen not to be involved in the war efforts, as Lula reiterated to Indian website Firstpost. The Brazilian government has made the decision not to supply weapons to Ukraine or impose sanctions on Russia.
Lula believes that the G20 summit is not the appropriate forum to discuss the conflict. He argues that such discussions should take place at the upcoming UN General Assembly later this month. Lula emphasizes the importance of seeking peace and calls for a negotiation table to be set up, involving both Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. He emphasizes that nobody wants war and that everyone is against it.
The G20 leaders have also acknowledged the different positions on the Ukrainian crisis, as highlighted in a joint declaration issued on Saturday. The leaders refrained from blaming any particular side, demonstrating the need for a diplomatic approach to resolving the conflict.
Lula’s refusal to abide by the ICC’s arrest warrant demonstrates Brazil’s stance on the matter. Brazil is determined to maintain its diplomatic relations with Russia and provide a safe environment for Putin if he chooses to visit the country.
As tensions in the region continue to escalate, it remains to be seen how other countries will respond to the ICC’s arrest warrant and whether they will follow Brazil’s lead in accommodating Putin without fear of detention. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine requires a diplomatic solution, and international forums like the UN General Assembly will play a vital role in facilitating negotiations and fostering peace.
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