Switzerland confirmed it would grant Russian President Vladimir Putin immunity from legal processes should he travel to the country to attend peace talks concerning Ukraine, Euractiv reported.
This assurance stands despite an active arrest warrant for Putin issued by the International Criminal Court. The statement was made by Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis during a press conference on Tuesday, 19 August.
Cassis clarified the conditions under which such immunity would apply, referencing rules defined by the Swiss government last year.
“If this person comes for a peace conference – not if they come for private reasons,” he stated, outlining the specific circumstances.
The announcement comes as French President Emmanuel Macron publicly suggested the possibility of a peace summit between Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky being hosted in Europe, specifically naming “a neutral country, maybe Switzerland.”
Despite Switzerland’s full preparedness and its long-standing expertise as a neutral host for international diplomacy, Cassis pointed to a significant diplomatic obstacle. He noted that Russia’s enthusiasm for using Switzerland as a venue has cooled considerably since the nation aligned itself with European Union sanctions following the outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022.
The Foreign Minister disclosed that he had “constantly reiterated this willingness” to arrange high-level meetings during his recent contacts with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
“I was told that since Switzerland adopted European sanctions, they have naturally lost some of the desire to do so in Switzerland,” Cassis added.
A pertinent precedent was set just last month when Switzerland permitted the attendance of a senior Russian official at a major international gathering. Valentina Matviyenko, the president of the upper house of Russia’s Federal Assembly, attended the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva despite being subject to international sanctions.
A Swiss foreign ministry spokesman explained at the time that the government may authorise exemptions from travel restrictions, “notably if the person is travelling to participate in an international conference,” adding that the country had acted in accordance with the law and its international agreements.
Putin’s last visit to Switzerland was for his summit with then-US President Joe Biden in Geneva in June 2021. The most recent bilateral talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations were held in Istanbul, with Turkey considered a more friendly venue by Moscow despite its membership in NATO.
