Russia's military invasion of Ukraine continues.
Russian and Ukrainian forces are fighting in various parts of Ukraine, and many civilians have fled the country. We will update the situation in Ukraine on the 18th (Japan time), including the status of the battle and diplomacy of the countries concerned.
(There is a 7-hour time difference between Japan and Ukraine, and 6 hours from Moscow, Russia)
Finland's prospects for NATO membership
Regarding Finland in Northern Europe, which is aiming to join NATO = North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Turkish President Erdogan announced that he would start the procedure for recognition, and Finland's accession was expected to be realized.
Finland, which borders Russia, and neighboring Sweden applied to join NATO in May last year in response to Russia's military invasion of Ukraine.
Membership requires the approval of all 5 member states, but Turkey has been calling for counterterrorism measures to be taken, saying that both countries are supporting members of Kurdish armed groups that advocate separatism from their own country.
Against this backdrop, President Erdogan met with Finnish President Niinistö in the capital Ankara on the 30th and stated, "There has been concrete progress, and NATO will become stronger," and made it clear that he would consult with the parliament about Finland's accession.
Hungary, the only member of the member states that has not yet recognized Hungary, has announced that it will vote in parliament on the 17th of this month, and Finland is expected to join.
On the other hand, with regard to Sweden, President Erdogan stated that the countermeasures against terrorism involving Kurdish armed groups are insufficient, and that he will continue to assess the response, and it is difficult for the two Nordic countries to join NATO at the same time.
International Criminal Court Arrest warrant for President Putin suspected of war crimes
The International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, which has been investigating war crimes believed to have been committed in Ukraine, announced on the 17th that it had issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Plenipotentiary Mariya Libovaberova, who is in charge of children's rights, on suspicion of war crimes.
Many children from Russian-occupied Ukrainian areas have been transferred to Russia, and the court has good grounds to believe that this is a war crime under international law and that President Putin is responsible.
"International law prohibits the transfer of residents to occupied states and requires special protection for children, and enforcement of arrest warrants requires the cooperation of the international community," Hoffmanski said in a statement.
On the other hand, although 123 countries and regions, including Japan, participate in the International Criminal Court, Russia, the United States, China, etc. do not recognize jurisdiction, so it is extremely unlikely that President Putin will actually be arrested, and on the contrary, it is expected to provoke a fierce backlash from the Russian side.