How could Vladimir Putin come to Budapest with all the sanctions and arrest warrants?
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have reportedly agreed to meet in the near future, with Budapest mentioned as a potential venue.
The news sent diplomatic shockwaves across Europe, as it would mark the Russian president’s first visit to EU soil since 2020 — despite ongoing sanctions and an international arrest warrant that restrict his movements.
How could Putin land amid the EU Sanctions and closed airspace?
As Euronews states, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Union imposed extensive sanctions aimed at weakening the Kremlin’s war machinery. The measures targeted hundreds of senior Russian officials involved in planning and overseeing the invasion.
Although both Putin and his foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, were placed on the sanctions list, the EU only froze their assets rather than imposing a travel ban. In theory, this means Putin could legally enter EU territory — but in practice, it’s far more complicated.
The EU has closed its airspace to all Russian-registered or Russian-owned aircraft, allowing only humanitarian or specially authorised flights. Putin’s plane would therefore require multiple diplomatic exemptions to cross European skies. This poses a significant logistical challenge, especially if his route were to pass through Poland or Romania, both of which are staunch allies of Kyiv.
An alternative path might lead through the Western Balkans, though this would involve a lengthy detour. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov faced a similar situation last year when travelling to Malta, taking a seven-hour roundabout route to avoid EU airspace.
What about the ICC arrest warrant?
A more serious obstacle comes from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, which has issued an arrest warrant for Putin. He is accused of committing war crimes by overseeing the forced deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children from occupied territories to Russia.
While neither Russia nor the United States recognises the ICC’s jurisdiction, all EU member states — including Hungary — are signatories to the Rome Statute, which obliges them to cooperate with the court.
Earlier this year, however, Hungary announced its intention to withdraw from the ICC following the court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The withdrawal, though, will not take effect until June 2026, meaning Hungary remains bound by its international obligations until then.
In principle, Hungarian authorities would therefore be required to detain Putin should he enter the country. Yet several EU diplomats have expressed doubts that this would happen, pointing out that Hungary has previously ignored similar international commitments.
Political and diplomatic dilemmas
If the meeting between Trump and Putin were to go ahead, it would trigger enormous political tension within the EU and NATO. For Putin, simply setting foot in an EU capital would be a symbolic victory after years of isolation; for Brussels, it would represent a diplomatic nightmare.
For Hungary, however, the potential summit could be an opportunity to strengthen its image as a mediator between East and West — a role Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has long sought to play. But can it boost his popularity? And if yes, by how much?
Can someone just do the world a favour and blast Putin’s plane out of the sky when he gets anywhere near a NATO member country?
@larry – I understand the frustration, but this is not the way.
How could Vladimir Putin come to Budapest with all the sanctions and arrest warrants?
Easily. Hungary is not a pathetic toadie to the globalist-socialist-fascist warmongers who are determined on having a massive war with Russia as a cover to totally transform our societies into authoritarian dystopias.
Long may it continue, and may these scumbags’ plans be thwarted completely, with them ending up swinging from lampposts, amen.
Michael if you believe that you are totally brainwashed and need some way of returning to reality starting with the fact that Russia invaded Ukraine and is the aggressor war monger and Orban has been helping him.
Larry boy you are in a total dark about what and why happens. I won’t educate you regarding I have no benefits in that but as I see you publicly show your ignorance and even proud of it I give you a hint:
Type in Google or even YouTube: why Russia attacked Ukraine? And read read read my friend. Hundreds of pages ahead you and then maybe you’ll be enlightened and you might pop your head “Oh my God! So that’s why!”
Have a nice study boy
@lou – I would love to be educated! Please post a few links, because most of what I am getting appears to concur that Russia attacked Ukraine because Mr. Putin wants to restore Russian dominance and prevent Ukraine from becoming a free, democratic, Western-aligned nation?
You forgot “Soros!”
Speaking of authoritarian distopias – our Politicians are trying to have their cake and eat it, too. Aligning with the likes of Mr. Trump, law of the jungle, etc., political coercion … It would not be a great position for an economically insignificant country with a small population with few natural resources to end up on our own, in such an environment. We NEED the European Union, NATO, the rule of law and international treaties.
Of course – very curious as to your take on this. Please – stick to facts and data. Suggesting reintroduction of the death sentence for thoughtcrime and the like – again – not helpful.
Isn’t it kind of strange that those who demand the arrest of Putin who only invaded “Ukraine” (which never even existed until the 20th century and was always part of Russia) to stop the genocide by Ukraine of Russian minorities living in the territory of Ukraine, as well as the flood of the West’s “woke mind virus”, never lobbied for the arrest of the viciously genocidal Polish jew PM of Israel responsible for the Gaza genocide!!!!
@Johnny – you mean this guy? https://www.icc-cpi.int/defendant/netanyahu
… And in case you would like to track the genocide claim. Oh wait – it is Ukraine claiming genocide by Russia on its citizens – https://icj-cij.org/case/182
Re Ukraine not being a country… Really??? Some facts and data:
Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union on August 24, 1991.
You may have missed it, but there was a referendum (democracy thing), with over 90 percent of Ukrainians voting yes to independence, including a majority in every region.
Over 190 countries recognize Ukraine’s sovereignty, It is a member of the United Nations and recognized by every major international body, including the European Union, NATO, and the International Monetary Fund.
It has its own government, constitution, currency (the hryvnia), language (Ukrainian), and defined borders (though some parts are currently under illegal occupation by Russia).
What more do you need to be a considered a sovereign country? Very curious!
because UE is a powerless little thing that can’t compete with Russia and USA