Vladimir Putin seemed to overlook the international arrest warrant out against him while calling for everyone to adhere to the law.
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the Russian president in March 2023 over his alleged involvement in the abduction of children from Ukraine.
The Court’s 124 signatory countries are therefore expected to arrest him if he ever sets foot on their land – meaning his travel plans have been significantly scaled down over the last 18 months.
Russia itself is not a signatory of the statute and has denied the claims against Putin.
Still, according to Russian state news agency TASS, the president claimed: “We stand united in advocating for the establishment of a just and democratic world order founded on genuine equality and adherence to international law, free from all forms of discrimination, coercion, and sanctions pressure, settling regional conflicts and crises, as well as combating the terrorist threat.”
Speaking in his message to participants of the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group events in Malaysia, he also emphasised the “great importance” on strengthening ties with Muslim countries.
He continued: “In the current challenging international climate, it is significant that our positions on key regional and global issues are largely aligned.”
It’s worth noting that Putin is currently offering up asylum to Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian dictator who was toppled at the weekend – Moscow propped up his brutal regime for years.
Putin is also allied with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un who is known for oppressing his civilians.
The Russian president himself is thought to have fixed the recent election so he could secure a fifth term in office.
Putin has also brushed off the impact of the arrest warrant on his life recently, claiming in October: “Decisions of this kind are very easy to circumvent, it is enough to sign an intergovernmental agreement and that’s it – the jurisdiction of the ICC will be limited.”