Kremlin says US reaction to ICC's Netanyahu warrant ‘more than curious’

ISTANBUL

The Kremlin on Tuesday defined the reaction of the US to the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “more than curious.”

On Monday, Karim Khan, the ICC's prosecutor, applied for arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three leaders of the Palestinian group Hamas, including political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh.

On the same day, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson said on X: "In the absence of leadership from the White House, Congress is reviewing all options, including sanctions, to punish the ICC and ensure its leadership faces consequences if they proceed. If the ICC is allowed to threaten Israeli leaders, ours could be next."

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “You know that we are not parties to the (Rome) Statute. Accordingly, we do not recognize the jurisdiction of this court. But in general, indeed, the situation is more than curious in terms of the US attitude and readiness to use sanctions methods even in relation to the ICC.”

“Very interesting. That is, on the one hand, we do not support, but on the other hand, of course, we carefully observe and record the features of the position,” Peskov went on to say.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the enclave.

More than 35,600 Palestinians have since been killed, the vast majority of whom have been women and children, and over 79,600 others injured since last October following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the ICJ, which has ordered it to ensure that its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

'Hysterical statements'

Referring to statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials on providing further military aid to Ukraine as "hysterical statements," Peskov claimed that they were caused by the "extremely unfavorable" situation on the front line on the part of Kyiv.

"Various representatives of the Kyiv regime, and indeed Zelenskyy himself, have been making many statements in recent days, sometimes actually slipping into hysterics. This is due to the extremely unfavorable position of the forces of the Kyiv regime at the fronts," he said.

He further argued that there is a growing understanding in Kyiv that the situation on the front line will not change "even if the rhythm of the supply of military products is somehow restored."

"This understanding is growing and, of course, does not add confidence and balance to the reasoning of representatives of the Kyiv regime," he added.

On May 10, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said Russian forces attempted to breach the country’s defenses through an offensive in the Kharkiv region, opening a new front in the over two-year-long conflict that is concentrated in the country’s east and south.

Clashes in the region have intensified since then, particularly near Vovchansk, located about 74 kilometers (45 miles) from Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.


Moscow claims to have seized control of multiple border settlements since the start of its offensive on the Kharkiv front, including in other parts of the Russia-Ukraine front such as in Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia.