Vladimir Putin, who will host Chinese President Xi Jinping in Moscow next week, was issued an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday March 17 for the war crime of “illegal deportation” of children. The Russian invasion was a decision hailed by Kiev and the West.

Franceinfo returns to the day’s highlights on the front War in Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin was targeted by an arrest warrant for war crimes

The International Criminal Court (ICC) said on Friday that it has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for the war crime of “illegal deportation” of Ukrainian children during the Russian invasion. The ICC in The Hague has also issued an arrest warrant for Maria Lavova-Belova, Russia’s presidential commissioner for children’s rights, on similar charges.

Vladimir Putin will now be arrested at the border of one of the court’s 123 member states, ICC lawyer Karim Khan told AFP. Arrest warrants issued on Friday “Based on scientific evidence, careful study and what these two people saidKarim Khan said. The evidence we presented focused on crimes against children. Children are the most vulnerable part of our society.”.

Russia ruled ICC arrest warrant ‘null and void’

Senior Russian officials rejected the arrest warrant, saying it had no legal value for Russia. “Russia, like many states, does not recognize the jurisdiction of this court, therefore, from the point of view of law, the decisions of this court are invalid”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Dmitry Peskov conceived the idea of ​​arresting Vladimir Putin “defamatory and unacceptable”. Russian diplomatic spokeswoman Maria Zakharova spoke about the ICC decision “meaningless”, “including from a legal point of view”.

Maria Lavova-Belova, quoted by Russian news agency RIA Novosti, vowed to continue her work regardless of the ICC’s decision.

Volodymyr Zelensky hails ‘historic’ ICC decision

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the decision “History, it marks the beginning of a historical responsibility”, the Kremlin for its part ruled that the decision had no legal value. Kyiv says more than 16,000 Ukrainian children have been deported to Russia since the invasion on February 24, 2022, and many more are being held in institutions and foster homes.

The head of European diplomacy, Joseph Borrell, praised “An Important Decision” And the United Kingdom welcomed “The move by the independent ICC to hold people at the highest levels of the Russian regime, including Vladimir Putin, to account”.

Xi Jinping will visit Moscow early next week

On Friday, Moscow and Beijing also announced Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia from March 20 to 22. Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin will sign a joint statement “Strategic relationship entering a new era”, Kremlin diplomatic adviser Yuri Ushakov said. While Washington suspects China is considering supplying arms to Russia, the two leaders will talk about cooperation, even if Beijing and Moscow deny it. “Military-Technical”Again according to the Kremlin.

Quoted by Russian press agencies, Yuri Ochakov also praised “Prevention” Xi Jinping’s file on the conflict in Ukraine, where Beijing presents itself as a mediator, despite its proximity to Moscow. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang urged Kyiv and Moscow to resume talks during a phone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kouleba on Thursday. “as soon as possible” According to Beijing, the peace talks. A call for an immediate U.S.-sanctioned cease-fire would accordingly consolidate Russian advances and give the Kremlin an opportunity to prepare a new offensive.

The MiG-29s will help “effectively protect” Ukraine’s airspace

In Bratislava, Slovakia announced Friday its decision to deliver thirteen MiG-29 fighter jets to Kyiv, after Poland announced one to Ukraine. “The First Volume” Of these four devices. These distributions “Help protect our skies effectively”Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said in a message of thanks to Slovakia posted on Twitter. “An Aeronautical Alliance Forms!” Finally, ahead of Saturday’s expiration of an international agreement on grain exports from Ukraine, the UN said discussions on the matter would continue.