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Russia’s isolation is taking on new forms. The arrest warrant for Putin made the Russian Federation unshakeable and toxic. There are no analogues to this solution. Political scientist Vladimir Fesenko stated this on air of the FREEDOM TV channel.
“Sanctions against Russia, the first sanctions, albeit limited, but more or less sensitive, not immediately. But when economic sanctions were introduced in the summer of 2014 after the Russians shot down the MH-17 passenger airliner, they imposed economic sanctions. Prior to that, there were purely symbolic sanctions. Even despite the fact that Russia seized and annexed Crimea. However, they responded mildly. But then the sanctions appeared, this is the mark of an outcast. But only a label. But the fact that now there is a warrant for the arrest of the head of state, and not just some state (there are about 200 states in the modern world, depending on who and how to consider states, this is a separate issue), the UN includes almost two hundred states. We are talking about a state that has nuclear weapons and which has the status of a permanent member of the UN Security Council. And now an arrest warrant has been brought against the leader of this state, brought by the International Criminal Court,” he said.
The political scientist stressed that this is of fundamental importance, this is an unprecedented decision, there are simply no analogues in the modern world and in modern history. From now on, 123 states can arrest Putin, but the head of the Kremlin himself will not risk it. Ultimately, he isolates himself.
“Naturally, the Russians will not recognize him, much less will they comply with this decision. But this is no longer just a mark of isolation, it is such a stigma, the stigma of toxicity, non-handshake. Of course, not everyone will recognize this. In general, 123 states have signed the ISS Charter, and on the territory of these states, at least theoretically, Putin can be arrested. Not everyone, of course, will decide on this, but I think that Putin himself is unlikely to take risks, ”says Fesenko.
He stated that, in fact, the isolation of the aggressor country is intensifying, acquiring not just a sanctions character, but a tough political and legal one. This is an arrest warrant. And gave an example for comparison.
“About the sanctions. It’s a flexible mode. At one time, there were negotiations of the Normandy Four (the structure for the implementation of the Minsk agreements, which included Russia, Ukraine, Germany, France), negotiations were held in Berlin. And the sanctions did not work against heads of state, prime ministers, such an international rule. There were no sanctions against Putin, there was no such practice, they do not impose sanctions against the leaders of states in order to leave opportunities for negotiations. But under the sanctions was an assistant to President Putin Surkov. And in order for him to be able to participate in the negotiations, this sanctions regime was temporarily suspended for him. And there were no sanctions against Putin at all. And now an arrest warrant. This is not just a stigma of toxicity, this is a preliminary stigma, because it is not yet a verdict, it is actually the stigma of an international criminal. That’s why this decision is important,” Fesenko explained.
The political scientist specified that such a decision maximally narrows the space for some actions by Putin himself, for negotiations with Putin.
“Because what kind of negotiations with the person against whom an arrest warrant has been issued. There may be negotiations with other representatives of the Russian Federation on various private issues, but not with Putin. This narrows the space for some, roughly speaking, agreements with Putin on the part of certain Western countries. Here is the significance of this decision. And in the future, I think this decision, especially if it ends in a court verdict, will be a very significant prerequisite for raising the issue of changing the status of the Russian Federation in the UN,” Vladimir Fesenko summed up.
Earlier, the Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova
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