The arrest warrant "is an important decision for international justice and for the Ukrainian people," said Borrell. The gravity of the crimes cited by the court speaks for itself. The ICC accuses Putin of deporting Ukrainian children to Russia.
The step taken by the court based in The Hague "is only the start of the process" of prosecuting and punishing "Russia and its leader for the crimes and atrocities they have committed in Ukraine," Borrell stated.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague can count on an additional 4 million euros and support in the form of expertise. This aid was promised by more than thirty ministers during a conference in London.
The Netherlands contributes one million euros, a quarter of the total amount. The country will also provide personnel and expertise. This involves investigative teams led by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, which conduct investigations into possible war crimes. Belgium and the Czech Republic are also sending investigators; Denmark assists in victim identification, and Ghana intends to admit witnesses into a protection program.
The Ukrainian government welcomed the decision. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responded to the arrest warrant by stating that "the wheels of justice are turning: I applaud the ICC's decision to issue arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova" and that "international criminals will be held accountable for the stealing of children and other international crimes."
Both Putin and high-ranking Russian officials have been accused of forcibly transferring thousands of Ukrainian children across the border into Russia. The Ukrainian government claims that 16,226 children—ranging from infants to teenagers—have been deported to Russia,
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asserted that Russia has committed more than 400 war crimes just in the Kherson region. Increased cooperation between Ukrainian war crimes investigators and the court will likely lead to more crimes being documented and more charges filed against Putin and his officials.