Polish president welcomes Putin arrest warrant says aide

Andrzej Duda, the Polish president, has welcomed an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Duda's chief aide has said.

On Friday, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for the Russian president on war crime charges involving illegal deportations of children from Russian-held parts of Ukraine. A similar warrant was issued for Russia's children's ombudsman, Marya Lvova-Byelova

"We are very satisfied with the ICC having made such a decision," Marcin Przydacz said on Polish state-run Radio Three on Monday.

Przydacz said that the Polish president had on numerous occasions called for the ICC to investigate Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

According to the presidential aide, "foreign trips by Vladimir Putin and (other - PAP) Russian leaders will be severely restricted" as Putin will never be sure whether or not he will be arrested in a country recognising the ICC's jurisdiction.

The ICC launched inquiries into Russian war crimes in Ukraine on March 3, 2022, following a motion launched by a group of countries including Poland.

Headquartered in The Hague, the International Criminal Court has the authority to try individuals charged with war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. More than 120 countries recognise the ICC's jurisdiction.