Switzerland said it would grant Russian President Vladimir Putin immunity from arrest if he comes to the country for a Ukraine peace conference, Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told reporters in Bern on Tuesday. The offer would override the International Criminal Court warrant issued in 2023 that obliges ICC member states, including Switzerland, to detain Putin on charges related to the deportation of Ukrainian children. Cassis explained that the federal government adopted guidelines last year allowing temporary immunity for individuals under international arrest warrants when they travel for officially recognised peace negotiations rather than private visits. “The objective of receiving Mr. Putin in Switzerland without arrest is achievable 100%,” he said in an interview with public broadcaster SRF, adding that logistical preparations could be completed “in a few days.” The announcement follows calls by French President Emmanuel Macron for a Putin-Zelensky meeting in a neutral European location, with Geneva his preferred site. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly said he is ready to meet his Russian counterpart, while the Kremlin insists any summit must be carefully prepared. Neutral Austria has also offered to host, underscoring renewed diplomatic activity aimed at arranging the first face-to-face talks between the two leaders since 2019.
Non-NATO members Switzerland and Austria have said they are ready to host Vladimir Putin for a possible summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against the Russian president. https://t.co/t3hdaIsltW
Ministro de Exteriores suizo: "Estamos listos para acoger un diálogo de paz entre Rusia y Ucrania" https://t.co/Y02cqWGYPt
📢#Suiza anunció que otorgaría inmunidad al presidente ruso, Vladímir Putin, en caso de que decida viajar a Ginebra para mantener una reunión con su homólogo ucraniano, Volodímir Zelenski, una propuesta impulsada por Francia para celebrar el encuentro en un territorio neutral. https://t.co/FxC3WvruUV