Ukraine Urges Brazil to Arrest Putin if He Attends G20 Summit, Citing ICC Warrant

Ukraine's top prosecutor revealed that he had received intelligence suggesting that Vladimir Putin may attend the G20 summit in Brazil next month. He urged Brazilian authorities to enforce the international warrant for Putin's arrest if he makes an appearance.

On March 17, 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin, accusing him of the illegal deportation of hundreds of children from Ukraine. Now, the Russian leader can be detained in any country that has ratified the Rome Statute.

When questioned about whether Putin would attend the upcoming G20 summit, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded on Monday, saying, "No. When a decision is made, we will let you know."

Due to "information that Putin may attend the G20 summit in Brazil I would like to reiterate that it's an obligation for the Brazilian authorities as a state party of the Rome Statute to arrest him if he dares to visit," Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin told Reuters.

"I truly hope that Brazil will arrest him, reaffirming its status as a democracy and a state governed by the rule of law," he said.

Despite the ICC warrant for his arrest, Putin made an official state visit to Mongolia in September. Ukraine criticized Mongolia's failure to arrest him, calling it a setback for international justice.