Putin's arrest warrant was obvious and correct signal – Austrian Foreign Minister

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has endorsed the issuing of an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin by the International Criminal Court.

Source: Schallenberg's interview with Ukrinform news agency; European Pravda

"Putin's arrest warrant on charges of abducting more than 16,000 children from Ukraine to Russia was a clear and correct signal. I welcome every step that helps the law prevail. There should be no impunity. No one can stand above the law – not even the president," Schallenberg said.

He said that Austria actively supports the Vienna-based Commission of Inquiry of the UN Human Rights Council in documenting war crimes, and is among the 43 states that have referred the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court.

"And we support the court in its important work financially and by providing an Austrian expert to work in the Office of the Chief Prosecutor. Through the EU mission in Ukraine, we are facilitating the training of Ukrainian forensic experts so that they can collect and evaluate relevant evidence of war crimes," the minister said.

Austria is also part of a core group of more than 30 states currently working to establish a special tribunal for the crime of aggression.

"I hope that soon we will see results here and will be able to complete what we started. Even if justice sometimes takes a long time, I am sure it will eventually be implemented," Schallenberg added.

In March, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, the Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights, who is also accused of war crimes related to the illegal deportation and illegal movement of Ukrainian children. 

In April, Ukraine will host an international event with the participation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, where they will talk about the forced removal of Ukrainian children.

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