Russian President Vladimir Putin is slated to visit Kyrgyzstan in the upcoming week, according to statements from authorities in the Central Asian nation. This visit carries particular significance as it is Putin’s first trip abroad following the issuance of an arrest warrant for him by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Since the issuance of the warrant by the Hague-based court in March, Putin has refrained from leaving Russia due to allegations related to the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.
‘By the invitation of the president of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, on October 12 the president of the Russian Federation will pay an official visit to our country,’ the Kyrgyz news agency Kabar reported, citing an official from the presidential office.
As reported by Russian media, Putin is on the agenda to visit a Russian air base in Kant, situated east of the capital Bishkek, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of its opening.
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The leader, who has been in power for years, has rarely embarked on international trips since initiating a full-blown military operation against Ukraine in February 2022.
The last time he travelled abroad was in December of the previous year when he visited Kyrgyzstan and the neighbouring country of Belarus, which shares its border with Moscow.
The Rome Statute, a treaty that mandates its signatories to honour the determinations of the International Criminal Court, has not been ratified by Kyrgyzstan.
Since March, it has been anticipated that ICC members would be responsible for effecting an arrest should the Russian leader enter their territory.
Lawmakers in Armenia, on Tuesday, passed a crucial measure to pave the way for their country’s accession to the ICC, provoking frustration in Moscow.
The absence of Putin from the BRICS Summit held in South Africa, an ICC member, in July was driven by the looming threat of arrest. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had publicly announced that he would not facilitate Putin’s arrest if he were to visit South Africa.
In recent times, the Russian president has been seen building strong connections with many African countries, and these nations have received Putin with open arms. They perceive Russia as a fairer partner for Africa compared to the West, which continually exploits the continent’s resources, leaving the nations with little to no benefits.