War criminals have no place in European capitals, and the only city where Putin should ultimately end up is The Hague — to stand before a tribunal.
This was said by Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys to journalists ahead of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg.
Asked whether he considers the expected meeting between Putin and Trump in Budapest a slap in the face to Europe, Budrys replied:
“Two things are combined here. One is President Trump’s diplomatic efforts toward a ceasefire and peace. On the other hand, we must adhere to the principles of Europe that we all agreed on. The only place for Putin in Europe is The Hague, before a tribunal, not in any of our capitals.”
According to him, Lithuania is sending the signal that “there is no place in Europe for war criminals, there must be no route through Europe for war criminals to attend any events.”
When asked whether Lithuania would take any measures if Putin’s plane were to fly through Lithuanian airspace en route to Hungary, the minister answered:
“I cannot imagine him flying through our airspace. There are other routes if he wants to get there, and I would look for alternatives.”
