Russian MP: ICC war crimes charges 鈥榮tupid鈥�
Evgeny Popov says the charges won鈥檛 change Putin鈥檚 behaviour
The decision by the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant against Vladimir Putin on war crimes charges was 鈥榯remendously stupid鈥� and 鈥榤eans nothing鈥� according to an influential Russian MP.
Evgeny Popov, who is also a prominent TV host on Russian state television, told the 主播大秀鈥檚 HARDtalk programme that the charges 鈥榤eans nothing for Russia, it means nothing for [the] Russian President, and it will not change the way Putin made his decisions鈥�.
Speaking from Moscow, Mr Popov told Stephen Sackur that the decision would make ending the war harder. 鈥榊ou鈥檙e going to close all ways to negotiate [with] Russia by this decision. It鈥檚 the final step to close any possibility to negotiate鈥� he said.
The ICC鈥檚 case centres on claims of unlawful deportation of thousands of children from Ukraine to Russia since Moscow's invasion in 2022. But Mr Popov said that rather than deporting the children, Russia was 鈥榮aving鈥� them. 鈥楾housands of children were in danger during the war鈥� Russia has to save their lives. And of course Russia should and must give them [a] normal life鈥n Russia鈥�.
Mr Popov denied the claim made by ICC prosecutor Karim Khan that the children were being used as 鈥榮poils of war鈥�.
Mr Popov said 鈥榠t鈥檚 not true of course鈥e must save the lives of those children鈥nd they are safe right now. They are in a safe territory鈥�.
The ICC said it found 鈥榬easonable grounds鈥� that Putin 鈥榖ears individual criminal responsibility鈥� for the child abductions and for failing to 鈥榚xercise control properly over civilian and military subordinates who committed the acts.鈥�
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia does not recognize the ICC and considers its decisions 鈥榣egally void.鈥� He called the court鈥檚 move 鈥榦utrageous and unacceptable.鈥�
