Arrest Vladimir Putin for war crimes if he goes to G20 summit, top Tory urges

Former Foreign Office Minister Harriett Baldwin says Russian President Vladimir Putin should be detained if he turns up at the G20 in Bali in November

Vladimir Putin should be arrested for war crimes if he attends a summit of world leaders later this year, MPs heard today.

Former Foreign Office Minister Harriett Baldwin called for the Russian President to be detained if he travels to the two-day G20 meeting in Bali in November.

She told the Commons that “Vlad Putin the invader” should be “arrested on the spot as a war criminal” if he went to the Indonesia summit.

The call came as Foreign Office Minister Vicky Ford answered an urgent parliamentary question on allegations that Russian forces are using rape as a weapon of war in Ukraine.

The claims were bolstered this week by a harrowing interview given by a victim who said she was repeatedly raped by Kremlin troops who murdered her husband.

The victim told how her four-year-old son cowered in a neighbouring room while she was violated.

Ms Ford praised the woman for telling her story, saying: “Women who do come forward and give their testimonies about the sexual violence that they have faced in conflict are incredibly brave.”

But the minister added: “Sadly, rape in war is not new.”

She told MPs: “The UK continues to act decisively with its allies to punish the Putin regime’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine – and we will do all we can to bring the perpetrators of war crimes, including sexual violence, to justice.”

Conservative MP Anthony Mangnall, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, said that since the invasion began on February 24, “there have been widespread reports of Russian troops resorting to rape and sexual violence against women and girls”.

He added: “It is a tragic reality that in conflicts and crises around the world, rape and sexual violence have become weapons of war.

“They are the tools of the vicious and violent and the consequences have such a long and far-reaching impact on the individuals, their families, their communities.”

Shadow Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty condemned “utterly horrific and utterly heinous” reports of rape and sexual violence in the war.

The Government would support the International Criminal Court investigation into Russia’s invasion, pledged Ms Ford.

But she rejected calls for a specific tribunal to examine the Kremlin’s offensive, warning it could take “many years”.

Sexual violence in conflict was highlgihted by William Hague when he was Foreign Secretary.

He teamed up with Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie to raise awareness of the horror.