Russia-Ukraine War: Switzerland says that Putin may get ‘immunity’ for peace talks; But only under some circumstances

Switzerland said on Tuesday that he would provide Russian President Vladimir Putin immunity if he would have participated in peace talks on Ukraine in the country despite an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).Speaking at a press conference, Swiss External Affairs Minister Ignazio Cassis clarified that Putin can enter Switzerland with immunity only when he came for an official peace conference, not for private visits.Earlier last year, the Swiss government had defined the rules to give immunity to a person under the International Arrest Warrant. If this person comes to the peace conference – otherwise they come for personal reasons. “French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested Switzerland, especially Geneva, as a possible site for the future summit between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodimier Zelanski. Cassis said that Switzerland was fully prepared to host, citing its tradition of neutrality and experience in international diplomacy.“I am insisting for Geneva,” he said in an interview aired on Tuesday on French news channel LCI.However, he admitted that Moscow’s attitude towards Switzerland had cooled down as Berns had aligned themselves with the European Union sanctions after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He said that he had repeatedly offered to host a conversation with Russian External Affairs Minister Sergei Lavarov during his recent contacts, but he got very little interest.He said, “I was told that since Switzerland adopted European sanctions, he naturally lost his desire to do so in Switzerland,” he said.Nevertheless, Switzerland allowed Russia to participate in the previous month’s World Conference of Parliament speakers in Geneva, where Valentina Matwianco, the head of the upper house of Russia’s upper house, participated despite international sanctions. Switzerland said that it acted in accordance with international laws and agreements.Putin last visited Geneva in 2021 for his summit with the previous US President Joe Biden. The final direct Russian-Ukraine talks were held in Istanbul, in which Turkey was seen as a more Moscow-friendly site.