US President Joe Biden has welcomed an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and one of his ministers over possible war crimes involving the alleged deportation of Ukrainian children.
The ICC issued the warrant on Friday, saying Mr Putin was “allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation”.
Mr Biden said the ICC’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Mr Putin was justified.
The US, like Russia, does not recognise the ICC.
"He's clearly committed war crimes," Mr Biden said.
"I think it's justified. But the question is — it's not recognised internationally by us either. But I think it makes a very strong point."
The move came a day after a UN investigation found that Russia has committed wide-ranging war crimes in Ukraine, such as killings and torture that may amount to crimes against humanity.
Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations of committing atrocities after it invaded its neighbour a year ago.
On Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed the UN investigation and accusations of war crimes, saying those behind the claims were not being objective.
“We are ready to analyse specific cases, answer questions, provide data, statistics and facts. But if they are biased, if they represent only one point of view … then there is no use responding to these reports,” she said.
Ukrainian government figures shows that Moscow may have transferred 16,000 children from Ukraine to Russia unlawfully. Russia says that it has only evacuated people looking to leave voluntarily.
The ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, Commissioner for Children’s Rights at the Russian President's office.
“There are reasonable grounds to believe that each suspect bears responsibility for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population and that of unlawful transfer of population from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, in prejudice of Ukrainian children,” the ICC said in a statement.
The ICC said its warrants are secret to protect victims and witnesses but the ICC had announced the move on Friday, in part, to raise awareness that could “contribute to the prevention of the further commission of crimes”.
A possible trial of any Russians at the ICC remains a long way off, as Moscow does not recognise the court’s jurisdiction.
But Ukrainian officials welcomed the news nonetheless.
“The world changed,” said presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter that the “wheels of Justice are turning” and added that “international criminals will be held accountable for stealing children and other international crimes”.
Ukraine's ambassador to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya welcomed the news of the warrants.
“This is a stamp of historical importance and [a] powerful signal for the entire world that accountability is imminent and punishment is inevitable for every criminal,” he said.
The UN declined to comment.
“The International Criminal Court is independent of the secretariat. We do not comment on their actions,” said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Even though Russia rejected the allegations and warrants, others said the ICC action will have an important impact.
“The ICC has made Putin a wanted man and taken its first step to end the impunity that has emboldened perpetrators in Russia’s war against Ukraine for far too long,” said Balkees Jarrah, associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch.
Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces
- Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
- Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
- Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
- Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
- Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
if you go
The flights
Fly direct to Kutaisi with Flydubai from Dh925 return, including taxes. The flight takes 3.5 hours. From there, Svaneti is a four-hour drive. The driving time from Tbilisi is eight hours.
The trip
The cost of the Svaneti trip is US$2,000 (Dh7,345) for 10 days, including food, guiding, accommodation and transfers from and to Tbilisi or Kutaisi. This summer the TCT is also offering a 5-day hike in Armenia for $1,200 (Dh4,407) per person. For further information, visit www.transcaucasiantrail.org/en/hike/
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
