YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. Russia has asked Armenia to explain its intention to ratify the Rome Statute after the government sent the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC) to parliament for ratification.

“We’ve already asked explanations from the Armenian side over this issue, and we will decide our next steps based on the content of Yerevan’s response,” Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a press briefing on September 5.

The Armenian government on September 1 sent the Rome Statute to parliament for ratification.

In 2022, the Pashinyan Administration explained that it seeks to join the Rome Statute because it would allow to hold the government of Azerbaijan to account for its aggressions against Armenia.

On 17 March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, after an investigation of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Ukraine.

The ICC arrest warrant for Putin accuses the Russian leader of unlawfully deporting thousands of Ukrainian children, a war crime. This has been denied by the Russian government.

Countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute would have to enforce the arrest warrant once Putin travels into their territory.