The President of Switzerland has announced that Putin may be invited to the next Summit of Peace in Switzerland. Of course, efforts will need to be made to ensure that Swiss legislation allows his presence there, as his physical presence in Europe would require immediate arrest. Nevertheless, it turns out that even international law does not work equally for everyone if there is a strong enough desire.
Swiss leader Viola Amgerd mentioned that Putin might be invited to future potential conferences and negotiations on Swiss territory, despite an outstanding arrest warrant for the current President of the Russian Federation.
Arguments “for”
The question about Putin’s potential presence was raised by journalists to Viola Amgerd. And this question is indeed on the surface, as everyone understands that for the establishment of peace or the cessation of war, documents must be signed by at least two parties (in reality, many more, but direct enemies are mandatory figures).
This requirement cannot be ignored, which is why the question is in the air. However, the response from the President of Switzerland shows that the situation is being carefully analyzed, legislation is being examined, and options are being sought. Some believe that the question itself arose not spontaneously from journalists but was planned.
Viola Amgerd mentioned that if Putin’s presence is necessary for negotiations on peace in Ukraine (which will definitely be needed), then an exception can be made. Of course, for this, the government must make the appropriate decision, conduct preparatory work, and so on.
Arguments “against”
The arguments against lie in the moral and ethical aspects:
- Firstly, the exception for Putin, as discussed, diminishes all crimes for which an arrest warrant was directly issued by the International Criminal Court. It is hard to imagine how the victims of his decisions will feel in this situation.
- Secondly, it undermines trust in the international legal system as a whole. The issuance of an arrest warrant for a Russian criminal who led the country was perceived worldwide as a triumph of justice. Now it turns out that justice is still a utopian concept in modern reality, and hoping for it is the fate of dreamers and a path to disappointments.
- Thirdly, the temporary cancellation of the option to arrest Putin once again proves that the law does not apply in cases where you are an influential figure playing for high stakes. This will only serve as an encouragement for other dictators. The next decisions of the International Criminal Court will not be taken as seriously as before. The exception will only set a precedent that other countries can refer to when needed.
Finding a middle ground in this case is very difficult.
Russia’s response
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis announced at a press conference after the Peace Summit that his country plans to discuss the outcomes of the event with Russia, China, and other absent countries. The Summit gathered representatives from over 100 nations under Ukraine’s leadership.
Cassis noted that Switzerland has an active embassy in Moscow and maintains regular contacts with the Russian Foreign Minister every two weeks. He emphasized that Switzerland intends to discuss the conference’s results with Russia.
However, Cassis did not go into details about specific topics for discussion with Moscow. Regarding other countries that did not participate in the Summit, he stated that Switzerland will engage in deep discussions with them to determine the way forward for peace in Ukraine. He highlighted the need to unite different ideas and thoughts to find a common path forward.
