Expert reveals if Putin could be arrested when he lands in US for Trump meeting

Vladimir Putin is scheduled to meet Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday, August 15, to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. The meeting comes after Trump’s deadline for Russia to move toward a settlement expired, alongside threats of additional sanctions and tariffs on countries buying Russian oil.

With the summit set on US soil, questions have arisen about whether Putin could be arrested upon arrival, given that he is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes.

While nations like the UK, France, Germany, and Canada would detain him, the United States does not recognize ICC jurisdiction. This means the warrant holds no legal weight in the US, making arrest highly unlikely.

Military expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon told The Sun that Putin can freely travel to non-ICC member states, including the US. He suggested Trump likely provided assurances that Putin would not face arrest during the visit.

The expert also noted that Putin is highly focused on his personal safety and avoids unfriendly airspace. The route to Alaska would only pass through a few miles of international airspace, minimizing perceived risk.

Meanwhile, CBS News reports the White House is pushing European allies to accept a peace deal granting Russia control over Donbas, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has firmly rejected any territorial concessions, stating that Ukraine’s constitution protects its land and that no one has the right to surrender territory to the occupier.