Authorities in Russia have warned Armenia that there will be “serious consequences” if Yerevan accepts the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin, Reuters reported, citing RIA Novosti.
The ICC issued the order this month, accusing Putin of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine, a war crime. The Kremlin condemned the decision, calling it political and saying it had no force.
Armenia is a traditional ally of Russia, but their ties have been strained since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Yerevan is moving closer to acceding to the Rome Statute, which would bring the country under the jurisdiction of the ICC.
RIA Novosti quoted a Russian Foreign Ministry source as saying that Moscow considers Armenia’s plans to join the ICC “unacceptable”. Russia has warned that if the Armenian authorities continue to follow this plan, which must be approved by the Armenian parliament and the Constitutional Court, it will lead to “extremely negative consequences”.
