The European sanctions do not include a ban on Russian President Vladimir Putin from visiting EU member states, and therefore there are no obstacles to his travel to Hungary, said European Commission spokeswoman Anita Hipper.
She said the EU sanctions include freezing the assets of the Russian president and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, but do not restrict their travel to the EU.
Hipper said EU countries could decide to temporarily suspend the execution of an order from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for countries that recognize its powers to arrest the Russian president if he is found on their soil.
“EU countries can make an exception to their obligations regarding the ICC order, but such decisions must be made at the national level,” Hipper said.
Olof Gil of the European Commission’s administration says that permission for the Russian president to fly over EU countries on his way to Hungary must be given by the governments of those countries.
Gil stressed that Brussels welcomes the Russia-US summit in Budapest, but that they have not yet received any information about it.
