Poland Warns Putin's Plane Could Be Forced Down Over ICC Warrant Amidst Canceled Trump Meeting Plans

Poland's Firm Stance on International Law

On October 21, 2025, Poland's Foreign Minister, Radosław Sikorski, issued a stark warning regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's potential travel through Polish airspace. Sikorski stated that an independent Polish court 'cannot guarantee' that it would not order a hypothetical aircraft carrying Putin to be brought to the ground and the suspect handed over to The Hague. This declaration underscores Poland's commitment as a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its obligations under international law.

The warning is directly linked to an ICC arrest warrant issued for Putin on March 17, 2023. The warrant accuses the Russian President of the war crime of unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children from occupied territories to the Russian Federation. All 125 member states of the ICC, which have ratified the Rome Statute, are legally obligated to detain and transfer any indicted individuals who enter their territory.

Hungary's Divergent Position and Meeting Uncertainty

The Polish warning was initially prompted by discussions surrounding a potential meeting between Putin and former US President Donald Trump in Budapest, Hungary. Trump had previously announced plans for such a summit to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine.

However, Hungary has adopted a different stance. Despite being an ICC member, Hungary has vowed to ensure safe passage for Putin and stated it would not arrest him if he were to visit. Hungary announced its intention to withdraw from the ICC in early April 2025, with the withdrawal set to take effect one year after its notification to the UN Secretary-General on June 2, 2025. Until then, Hungary remains bound by its ICC obligations. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó affirmed that Budapest would 'respectfully welcome' Putin and provide conditions for his talks. Hungary has previously hosted other officials facing ICC warrants, such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, without incident.

Adding to the complexity, the White House confirmed on October 21, 2025, that there are 'no plans' for a Trump-Putin meeting in the 'immediate future'. This decision followed a call between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, with Trump indicating he did not want a 'wasted meeting' given Russia's current negotiating position.

Airspace Challenges and Alternative Routes

Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, all European Union member states, including Poland, have banned Russian aircraft from their airspace. This ban presents significant logistical challenges for any potential flight by Putin to Hungary, a landlocked country.

Sikorski suggested that Putin's aircraft would likely need to use a 'different route,' possibly through countries like Türkiye, Montenegro, and Serbia, to bypass Polish and other EU airspace. In contrast to Poland's warning, Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev indicated that his country would be willing to open its airspace for Putin's aircraft if it contributed to peace efforts. The legal implications of forcing a head of state's plane to land are complex, with international law experts noting that while ICC member states are obligated to arrest, such an action is highly unusual and could lead to significant diplomatic repercussions.