Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis has officially responded to French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal that a high-level meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and former U.S. President Donald Trump be held in Geneva.
Cassis welcomed the proposal, expressing Switzerland’s gratitude for the trust placed in it as a potential host for such a historic summit.
However, the plan faces serious legal challenges. 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 legally obliged to arrest him if he set foot on its territory.
Anticipating the legal complexities, the Swiss government has already engaged legal experts to review the implications of hosting such a meeting.
Speaking to Swiss media today, Cassis emphasized there may still be room for flexibility:
“We can make this meeting possible despite the arrest warrant against Putin, due to our special role and Geneva’s status as the European headquarters of the United Nations.”
If realized, the Geneva meeting would mark one of the most significant diplomatic gatherings since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, potentially reshaping dialogue on peace and security in Europe.
