Portugal will assume its responsibilities and detain the Russian president if he travels to the country, the foreign minister assured on Monday in Brussels, adding that he expects the same from the other 122 countries that have signed the International Criminal Court (ICC).
At a press conference following a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, João Gomes Cravinho answered in the affirmative when asked if Portugal would detain Vladimir Putin if he traveled to the country after the issuance of an arrest warrant for the Russian president issued by the ICC. last Friday for war crimes in Ukraine.
“Yes. And we expect the same for the other 122 ICC signatories, he said.
Recalling that “123 countries have signed the Rome Statute, the founding statute of the ICC, and these 123 countries are bound to comply with any arrest warrant,” the Minister stressed that “Portugal assumes its responsibilities as a signatory” of the ICC.
Last Friday, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for the Russian president for war crimes, in particular for his alleged involvement in child abductions in Ukraine.
The Prosecutor General of the ICC pointed out in his petition for the issuance of a warrant for Putin’s arrest the deportation to Russia of “at least a hundred children from orphanages and children’s institutions” of Ukrainians.
The arrest warrant for the head of the Kremlin was called by Russia “legally invalid” because the country does not recognize the legitimacy of the ICC.
Referring to the Council, which took place this Monday in Brussels – at first only at the level of heads of diplomacy of the 27th, and in the afternoon – a joint meeting with defense ministers – Joao Gomes Cravinho noted that support for Ukraine was naturally the main item on the agenda was the first meeting of EU foreign ministers since the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.
According to him, one of the issues raised was “the need to agree on sanctions […] with food security imperatives for the poorest countries”, commenting on the commitment reached last Saturday to extend the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grains through the Black Sea, but this time only for 60 days, imposed by Russia.
“We welcome the resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, while expressing serious concern that the extension has only been extended by two months, indicating a willingness on the part of Russia to seek to use weapons of food insecurity or food insecurity in its own interests. “, He said.
On Saturday, Russia clarified that it had agreed to extend the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, but only for 60 days, not 120, as Kyiv claims.
Last Wednesday, Turkey announced that it was in talks with Ukraine and Russia on a new 120-day extension of the grain agreement instead of the 60 days announced by Moscow.
The agreement, which was approved in July 2022 with the mediation of the UN and Turkey, was last extended in November last year and was due to expire last Saturday.
The deal has facilitated the export of 25 million tons of grain on more than 1,600 merchant ship voyages since July last year. Fifty-five percent of this food went to developing countries.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.