Let's say he see's the writing on the wall and backs out. What I can't figure out is what his next move would be then. He's certainly not gonna turn himself over for trial. I guess he could stay in Moscow and never leave, and I guess he could step down with the understanding of whoever replaces him, that part of the deal is he never gets extradited. That might work. The West certainly needs their natural resources and Europe/America would probably pinch their nose and ease up on some of the sanctions for their own benefits. That's about the best outcome I can see at this point.
As discussed, just hunkering down North Korean style is always an option. No one really has jurisdiction over him outside the country anyway. All this talk about International Criminal Court and Hague and all of that but Russia is not a signatory to those treaties and neither is the United States so we are not in a position to argue that it should apply to countries who are not signatories. The UN frigged around with tribunals in the Serbia conflict and one died before trial and they convicted another so there is that one example. Other than that its a bitch to accomplish legally. Nevertheless he needs to watch his arse in moving around the world because some country may bag him even if the jurisdiction is not clear. As I said, he is the new Roman Polansky, whereby he might be able to beat all sorts of attempts to get him by countries can mess with you and make you sweat bigtime. Russia is not going to extradite him because they may want him out. but they do not want Russia to be known as a war criminal country. Hunkering down, shoveling out propaganda as needed to cover his arse, then agreeing to step down at some point because he has prostate cancer or something is his future. I am not saying that is going to happen next month or next year but you can't stop Americans from hearing it that way because everything is "right now" and next week they say "you said last week he would step down and it did not happen." I am talking about a trajectory.
The check is in the mail. OR NOT. Oh, I see. Grace period, everyone. Nothing to see here. IT'S OKAY. Russia creditors await bond payment as Moscow says money sent LONDON, March 17 (Reuters) - Russia said on Thursday it had made debt payments that were due this week but the announcement did not end a wait for what could be Moscow's first default on external borrowing in more than a century as several creditors said funds had yet to be received. -REUTERS.
I agree with Vanzandt that it was a tactical error for Biden to publicly call Putin a War Criminal at this point in the conflict.. .
Although it may be good tactics to let Putin know in no uncertain terms that we mean business, it is an unnecessary provocation to threaten him personally at this stage in the war. Others can call him a war criminal, which he clearly is, but it's not helpful for Biden to publicly label him as such, no matter how much satisfaction it gives us all, for reasons Vanzandt stated and for other reasons tool having to do with on-going diplomacy aimed at bringing the war to an end. There will be a time later, we all fervently hope, for Putin to pay personally for his crimes. I think Biden's leadership has been outstanding , however, IMO, his remark the other day was a tactical error.