The chairman of the Munich Security Conference, Christophe Heusgen, says Russian President Vladimir Putin will be arrested if he attends the planned Weimar Triangle meeting.

As was the case in 2023, representatives of the Russian administration have not been invited.

“Russian President Vladimir Putin will be arrested if he comes,’’ said Mr Heusgen.

He was referring to the fact that the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Mr Putin in 2023 for alleged war crimes in Moscow’s war on Ukraine.

Mr Heusgen plans to bring leaders of France, Germany and Poland, namely Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz and Donald Tusk, together at a meeting in mid-February.

This would be a revival of the Weimar Triangle, a regional alliance of France, Germany, and Poland that was created in 1991.

“I think it’s very important that we expand the Franco-German pairing to include Poland as the largest country in Eastern Europe.

“If that succeeds, it will be very nice. The invitation has been extended,’’ Mr Heusgen said during a podcast.

Looking ahead to the security conference itself, he said despite numerous crises and conflicts around the world, the event should convey a message of diplomacy.

“We are bringing together politicians, the military and representatives of civil society so that they can find out where there is a silver lining on the horizon,’’ Mr Heusgen told the Table.

Attendees at the event that was set to run from February 16 to 18 were to include U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris.

(dpa/NAN)