MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Kyrgyzstan next week, authorities in the Central Asian country said on Wednesday, in his first trip abroad since the International Criminal Court (ICC an) issued arrest warrant for him.
Putin has not left Russia since The Hague-based court issued the warrant in March over the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.
The Kyrgyz news agency Kabar reported that, in response to an invitation from Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov, Putin will undertake an official visit to the country on October 12, marking his first foreign trip in light of the ICC warrant.
During his visit, Putin is scheduled to tour a Russian air base located in the city of Kant, east of the capital Bishkek, commemorating the 20th anniversary of its establishment, according to Russian media reports. Notably, Putin has maintained a limited international presence since launching a substantial military offensive against Ukraine in February 2022.
His last foreign visit was in December of the preceding year when he travelled to both Kyrgyzstan and neighbouring Belarus. Notably, Kyrgyzstan, unlike some other countries, has not ratified the Rome Statute, which obliges its signatories to adhere to the ICC’s decisions. As of March, ICC member states are expected to execute the arrest warrant if Putin sets foot on their territory.
Putin conspicuously avoided the BRICS summit hosted by South Africa, an ICC member, in July. Furthermore, recent actions, such as Armenia’s legislative approval to take a significant stride toward joining the ICC, have stirred tensions with Moscow.
