Hungary Must Arrest Putin, Says German Foreign Ministry

The German government believes that Hungary should adhere to the statutes of the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding a possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. This was stated by a spokesperson for Germany's foreign ministry.

Despite the Hungarian government's announcement of its intention to withdraw from the ICC statutes, this will not take effect until next April, the spokesperson noted. Therefore, Hungary is obliged to comply with the arrest warrants for Putin if the Russian president enters the country.

Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Szijjarto, stated that the ICC would not arrest Vladimir Putin during his meeting in Budapest with U.S. President Donald Trump. “We will host Vladimir Putin in our country and ensure that the negotiations between the Russian and U.S. presidents proceed constructively, after which everyone will return to their countries,” Szijjarto said.

According to the TASS news agency, an official representative of Budapest also mentioned that they are ready to ensure that all conditions are met for the meeting to take place in a safe and secure environment.

Earlier, it was reported that there had been a phone conversation between the Russian and U.S. presidents, during which they agreed to meet in Budapest in the coming days.