Despite an ICC arrest warrant, Vladimir Putin receives a warm welcome in Mongolia, highlighting the country’s reluctance to confront its powerful neighbor.
Vladimir Putin has begun an official visit to Mongolia, undeterred by an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant accusing him of war crimes. The Russian president was greeted with full honors in Ulaanbaatar on Tuesday, where he met with Mongolia’s leader, Ukhnaa Khurelsukh. Despite being a member of the ICC, Mongolia chose to ignore calls to arrest Putin, offering him a warm reception instead.
The ICC issued a warrant for Putin last year over alleged war crimes in Ukraine, including the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. However, this did not hinder Putin’s visit, as the capital’s central Genghis Khan Square was adorned with large Mongolian and Russian flags to mark his first trip to the neighboring country in five years.
Upon arrival at Chinggis Khaan Airport, Putin was accompanied by Mongolian Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg. While a small protest took place the day before, with a handful of demonstrators holding signs demanding, “Get War Criminal Putin out of here,” the overall atmosphere was one of welcome rather than confrontation.
Ukraine has urged Mongolia to detain Putin and transfer him to the ICC in The Hague, citing the widespread reports of the deportation of Ukrainian children since Russia’s invasion in February 2022. However, Mongolia has consistently avoided condemning Russia’s actions and has abstained from voting on related issues at the United Nations.
“President Putin is a fugitive from justice,” Altantuya Batdorj, executive director of Amnesty International Mongolia, stated on Monday. She warned that allowing Putin to visit an ICC member state without arrest only emboldens his actions and undermines the ICC’s authority.
Although ICC member states are obligated to arrest individuals with outstanding warrants, the court lacks an enforcement mechanism. The Kremlin had previously expressed no concern about the possibility of Putin being detained during his visit.
Mongolia, strategically positioned between Russia and China, remains heavily reliant on Russia for fuel and electricity and on China for investment in its mining sector. During the Soviet era, Mongolia was under Moscow’s influence, and since the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, the country has maintained friendly relations with both Russia and China.
During the visit, Putin and Khurelsukh participated in a ceremony commemorating the 1939 victory of Soviet and Mongolian forces over the Japanese army in Manchuria. Prior to his arrival, Putin highlighted “promising economic and industrial projects” between Russia and Mongolia in an interview with the Mongolian newspaper Unuudur. Among these is the proposed construction of the Trans-Mongolian gas pipeline linking China and Russia.
Putin also expressed his interest in advancing discussions for a trilateral summit involving Mongolia, Russia, and China, signaling his intent to strengthen ties with both of his powerful neighbors.
(Associated Medias) – all rights reserved
