Germany believes Hungary should arrest Putin despite its withdrawal from the ICC
Germany is convinced that Hungary should arrest Russian dictator Vladimir Putin if he comes to Budapest to meet with US President Donald Trump. This opinion was expressed by a spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry, quoted by ntv.
According to him, Hungary will have to comply with the statutes of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the event of a possible meeting between Putin and Trump.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman added that although the government in Budapest announced its withdrawal from the ICC, this decision will not take effect until April next year.
Thus, Hungary remains obliged to execute the arrest warrant for Putin if he enters the country.
Whether there are exceptions due to possible peace talks between Trump and Putin must be determined in court, the spokesman added. This is not explicitly stated in the statutes.
In March 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin on charges of war crimes, including the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine and the illegal transfer of Ukrainians to Russia.
Hungary announced its withdrawal from the ICC on April 3, 2025, during the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Budapest, which is subject to a warrant. The Hungarian government explained its decision by the fact that, in its opinion, the court "has become a political tool" and is acting in a biased manner.
On May 20, the Hungarian parliament passed a law that officially launches the process of withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the main document that established the court. According to international law, the withdrawal will take effect one year after the notification of the UN Secretary General. This step will make Hungary the first EU country to leave the ICC, joining the few states that have done so before – Burundi and the Philippines.
- On the evening of October 16, Trump had a phone conversation with Putin. They discussed Russia's war against Ukraine and agreed that would meet within two weeks in Budapest.
- Orban quickly reacted and said that Hungary is ready to act as a platform for negotiations.
- On October 17, Szijjártó said that Hungary is ready to guarantee Putin's security: he will be able to come and go freely.
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