French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hold talks in a neutral location such as Switzerland, specifically in Geneva.
Following this proposal, Switzerland expressed its readiness to host the high-stakes meeting. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis welcomed Macron’s suggestion, stating that Switzerland is “grateful for the trust” placed in it.
However, the idea raises serious legal questions. Switzerland is a signatory to the Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court (ICC). Since Putin is under ICC indictment for alleged war crimes, Switzerland would, in principle, be obligated to arrest him if he entered its territory, CNN reports.
To address this issue, the Swiss government has already tasked legal experts with examining the legal implications of hosting such a summit.
Speaking to Swiss media today, Cassis suggested there may be room for flexibility:
“We can make this possible despite the arrest warrant against Putin, due to our special role and Geneva’s status as the European headquarters of the United Nations.”
The potential Geneva summit, if realized, would represent one of the most significant diplomatic efforts since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
