UK defense Secretary Names World Leader He’d Like to Kidnap

British Defence Secretary John Healey has sparked international attention by saying he would choose to detain Russian President Vladimir Putin if given the hypothetical opportunity to abduct any world leader, framing the choice as a way to hold Putin accountable for alleged war crimes.

Healey made the comments during a visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, while speaking to the Kyiv Independent.

When asked which leader he would abduct if such a power were possible, Healey responded that he would “take (Russian President Vladimir) Putin into custody.” He linked his answer directly to documented allegations of war crimes during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

Healey referenced atrocities seen in places such as Bucha, where mass civilian killings were uncovered following Russian troop withdrawals in 2022, as well as reports of Ukrainian children being forcibly relocated — accusations that have drawn international condemnation and a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Defence Secretary made his remarks at the site of a recent Russian drone strike on a residential area in Kyiv, underscoring his broader criticism of Moscow’s conduct in the war. He said that civilian infrastructure attacks and widespread suffering “tell you all you need to know” about the urgency of stopping the conflict.

Healey’s statement follows a controversial US military operation in Venezuela in which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured in a raid the United States described as counterterrorism. That action drew sharp rebukes from several nations, including members of the BRICS group, who called it a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty. The operation also provoked debate in Kyiv about whether similar tactics should be applied in the Ukraine-Russia context.

In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly encouraged stronger measures against Russia’s leadership. However, US President Donald Trump has dismissed the notion of kidnapping Putin as unnecessary.

Healey’s remarks come amid deepening military cooperation between the UK and Ukraine. Since Russia’s invasion in 2022, Britain has emerged as one of Kyiv’s leading backers, supplying military aid, training, and diplomatic support. Recent UK officials have emphasized the need for Western preparedness and sustained assistance as the conflict continues.

Moscow has strongly condemned the Venezuelan raid and has rejected allegations of war crimes, calling such actions violations of international norms and sovereignty. Russia’s government also disputes claims regarding treatment of Ukrainian children and other wartime suffering.

Analysts describe Healey’s comment as largely symbolic and hypothetical, reflecting mounting frustration among Western policymakers over the protracted war and the limits of existing international legal mechanisms. The remarks also highlight ongoing tensions between respect for state sovereignty and calls for more assertive responses to egregious wartime conduct.