Poland could potentially intercept President Vladimir Putin’s plane and deliver him to The Hague if he opts to travel through its airspace for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Hungary, remarked Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski on Tuesday.
“We cannot assure that an independent Polish court wouldn’t issue an order to force down a hypothetical aircraft carrying Putin and hand him over to The Hague,” Sikorski stated during an interview with Radio Rodzina.
Putin has been subject to an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) since 2023 due to the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. Moscow is not a signatory to the ICC’s founding treaty and disregards its authority.
Trump has indicated that he and Putin plan to meet in Budapest in the coming weeks, where the Hungarian government has promised safe passage for the Russian president, despite the ICC arrest warrant, which obligates its member states to detain him on their territory.
Sikorski criticized the invitation extended to Putin for the Budapest meeting, describing it as “distasteful,” and suggesting it places Hungary in a position that is “between the West and Russia, rather than firmly part of the West,” while also advocating for Ukraine’s inclusion in the summit.
Hungary has publicly announced its intention to withdraw from the ICC effective June 2, 2026.
Sikorski’s comments arise amidst discussions regarding how Putin might travel to Hungary, especially given that all EU nations, including Poland, have prohibited Russian aircraft from using their airspace since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
A source close to the presidential administration informed The Moscow Times that discussions regarding the potential arrest of the Russian leader while abroad are “naturally disconcerting to the Kremlin” in light of the ICC’s arrest warrant.
Sikorski suggested that the Kremlin is likely aware of Poland’s obligations under the ICC warrant and will “hence choose an alternate route.”
Poland remains a strong ally of Ukraine and has served as a crucial transit hub for Western military supplies destined for the conflict-ridden nation since the onset of hostilities.
