Armenia warns Vladimir Putin of possible consequences if he visits country

Member of the Armenian National Assembly from the ruling Civil Contract faction Gagik Melkonyan said that Russian President Vladimir Putin could be arrested if he visits Yerevan. According to him, the Armenian authorities will fulfill their obligations upon the Rome Statute, if it is ratified.

Melkonyan said that if Vladimir Putin arrives, he must be arrested. He expressed opinion that therefore it is better for Putin to stay in Russia.

Armenia plans to join the Rome Statute of ICC

Armenia signed the Rome Statute in the late 1990s, but has not yet ratified it. On Friday, the Constitutional Court of Armenia published its ruling, saying that the republic’s obligations, outlined in the ICC Rome Statute, comply with the Armenian Constitution.

Russia's reaction

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the Russian side warned the Armenian counterparts about "extremely negative" consequences of Yerevan’s potential accession to the Rome Statute for Russian-Armenian relations, noting that Moscow considers Yerevan’s plans to join the Rome Statute unacceptable.