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.
