US Ambassador for Global Criminal Justice and State Department representative Beth Van Schaak expressed doubt that Russian President Vladimir Putin will be arrested for crimes committed in Ukraine while he remains in office, reports Ukrainian Pravdareferring to an interview with Babel.

Van Schaak confirmed US support for an international tribunal within Ukraine’s judicial system, but said such a court would not be able to lift Putin’s immunity while he remains in office. Van Schaak also believes that the head of the Russian Federation will not be arrested, holding the highest office in Russia, after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin.

“It is unlikely that anyone will arrest Putin while he is the head of state. If he ends up in the custody of a foreign court, the ICC or a Ukrainian special chamber, it will most likely be because he will no longer be the head of state,” said Beth Van Schaak.

At the same time, she noted that “this does not mean that you cannot start an investigation, you cannot prepare indictments against him and other people in the chain of command.”

When asked whether a court that could not revoke the immunity of the president is worth the effort, the representative of the State Department answered in the affirmative.

“It’s definitely worth it. There are many other high-ranking officials in Russia responsible for the war in Ukraine. They occupy high management positions, make decisions and direct actions that are Russia’s aggression. These people must answer for the crime of aggression, for all war crimes and atrocities. That’s why a special court makes sense,” Van Schaak said.

Why it is important for Ukraine to continue the investigation into Putin

At the same time, Van Schaak emphasized that Ukraine should continue the investigation against Putin while he is in power, and be ready for quick action if political changes begin in Russia and he loses his position and immunity.

In July, Deputy Attorney General Kenneth Polite confirmed that the United States supports the international tribunal, which is based on Ukrainian law “but incorporates concepts of international law.”

Earlier, in an interview with “European Pravda”, the ambassador on a special mission to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Anton Korinevych, said that the decision on what the tribunal will be in the case of the crime of Russian aggression has not yet been made.