Bloomberg: Hungary vetoed EU resolution on Putin's arrest warrant, Hungarian Foreign Ministry says that wasn't veto

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin three days ago. The body holds the Russian president directly and personally responsible for crimes committed by Russian forces or groups linked to them in Ukraine.

Somewhat unusually, the European Union has not followed this up with any official statement or position, with only the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borell issuing a statement under his own name in which he said that he had 'taken note' of the ICC's action.

According to Bloomberg sources, this was because the joint statement by EU member states was vetoed by Hungary. EU justice ministers did issue a joint statement saying they supported the decision, but Hungary did not sign that either.

“It is a lie that Hungary vetoed the EU statement on the International Criminal Court (ICC) case,” Hungarian Foreign Affairs spokesman Máté Paczolay told the Hungarian State News Agency, MTI on Monday evening. On the contrary, the truth is that Hungary has communicated the following position to the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell:

“Hungary takes note of the ICC decision and does not wish to comment on it in any way. However, if the High Representative or any member state wishes to issue a statement, Hungary will not object to it,”

the spokesperson pointed out.

The Hague-based ICC announced last Friday that it had issued a warrant for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the grounds of alleged responsibility for war crimes, and Mariya Lvova-Belova, the children's rights commissioner of Moscow's presidential administration, on suspicion of being personally responsible for the illegal deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia.