Vladimir Putin is expected to land in Alaska on Friday, August 15, for a face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump, and many people are wondering whether he could be arrested when he sets foot on U.S. soil.
The question comes from the fact that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a warrant for Putin’s arrest over alleged war crimes connected to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In countries that recognize the ICC’s authority such as the UK, France, Germany, and Canada Putin could be detained immediately upon arrival.
However, the United States does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction, meaning the warrant has no legal force there. This makes it extremely unlikely that Putin would face arrest when he arrives. Military and security expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon explained that Putin can, at least in theory, travel freely in countries that are not ICC members. The U.S. falls into that category, so Alaska is a safe destination for him in legal terms.
De Bretton-Gordon also suggested that before agreeing to meet in person, Putin would have demanded ironclad assurances from the Trump administration that there was zero risk of him being detained over the ICC charges.
Putin is known to be extremely cautious about his personal safety and generally avoids traveling outside friendly or neutral territories. Flying to Alaska also limits the amount of time his plane would spend in international airspace, which he sees as a security risk.
The meeting itself is expected to focus on ending the war in Ukraine. Trump has previously threatened tougher sanctions and new tariffs on countries buying Russian oil if Putin does not move toward peace, but that deadline has already passed.
According to CBS News, the White House is pushing European leaders to accept a peace deal that would see Ukraine give up control of the Donbas, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions to Russia something Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has strongly rejected.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly stated that Ukraine’s borders are protected by its constitution and that no Ukrainian land will be surrendered to Russian forces.
While the idea of arresting Putin might sound simple to some, in practice it’s nearly impossible in the U.S. because of its stance on the ICC. Instead, the Alaska summit will almost certainly go ahead without legal drama, focusing on negotiations that could reshape the course of the war.
