Bosco on the ICC, Putin, and the limits of international law
As global tensions test the boundaries of international law, the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies offers critical insight through the work of Executive Associate Dean David Bosco, a leading scholar on global governance. In an August 9, 2025 KPBS feature, Bosco explored the legal and diplomatic complexities surrounding the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Issued in 2023 for alleged war crimes, the ICC’s warrant represents a landmark legal action. Yet, as Bosco explained, its enforcement reveals the court’s structural limitations. Without its own enforcement arm, the ICC relies on its 120+ member states to carry out arrests. This means any country that hosts Putin is legally obligated to detain him—dramatically narrowing the list of viable locations for future diplomatic engagements.
However, the realities of international diplomacy often complicate these obligations. Bosco pointed to Mongolia’s 2023 decision to host Putin without arresting him, despite being an ICC member. “Mongolia clearly decided that its economic and diplomatic interests outweighed its legal obligations as a court member,” Bosco observed. The move reflects realpolitik in action, where strategic interests can override formal legal commitments.
Bosco’s analysis also extended to the broader diplomatic landscape shaped by the ICC’s actions. The KPBS piece explored potential neutral venues for future peace talks, with Bosco and other experts identifying countries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. These non-ICC members have previously hosted high-stakes negotiations and maintain strong ties with both Russia and the United States, making them pragmatic choices for sensitive discussions.
This tension between legal norms and geopolitical strategy is central to Bosco’s scholarship. His commentary underscores how international justice is not always a straightforward process—it is shaped by the political and economic pressures that influence state behavior. As Bosco noted, “The ICC’s legal framework is clear, but its impact depends entirely on the willingness of states to prioritize law over diplomacy.”Through this lens, Bosco’s work highlights the challenges of enforcing international norms in a multipolar world. His insights demonstrate how HLS faculty contribute to a deeper understanding of today’s most pressing global issues, offering students and policymakers alike a nuanced view of the intersection between law and diplomacy.
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