Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Tuesday for an official visit, marking his first trip to an International Criminal Court (ICC) member state since the court issued a warrant for his arrest last year. The visit, seen as a provocative gesture, defies international calls for his detention and underscores his ongoing defiance of global legal norms.
Putin was greeted with an honor guard upon his arrival, signaling the high-profile nature of the visit. The trip is widely viewed as a statement against the ICC, Kyiv, Western nations, and human rights organizations that have demanded his arrest. The ICC seeks Putin’s detention for alleged illegal deportation of Ukrainian children following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Ukrainian government responded with strong condemnation, accusing Mongolia of “sharing responsibility” for Putin’s alleged war crimes due to its failure to act on the arrest warrant. Kyiv had urged Mongolia to execute the ICC’s order, but the authorities did not detain him at the airport. The ICC has stressed that its members have a legal obligation to arrest individuals sought by the court, though enforcement remains challenging.
Mongolia, a vibrant democracy situated between Russia and China, maintains close cultural and economic ties with both nations. The country, which was under Soviet influence during the Soviet era, has balanced its relationships carefully since the fall of the USSR. It has avoided condemning Russia’s actions in Ukraine and has abstained from votes at the United Nations related to the conflict.
As Putin’s visit proceeded, central Ulaanbaatar was adorned with Mongolian and Russian flags in preparation for the Russian leader’s arrival. However, there were protests against his visit, with demonstrators calling for his removal and denouncing him as a war criminal. Additional protests are planned, including one at the Monument for the Politically Repressed, which commemorates victims of Mongolia’s Soviet-backed communist regime.
Mongolia’s government has not officially commented on calls to arrest Putin. A spokesman for President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh denied reports that the ICC had requested Mongolia to enforce the arrest warrant. Russia, for its part, does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction, and the Kremlin expressed confidence that Putin would not face arrest during the visit.
Amnesty International has criticized Mongolia’s inaction, warning that it could undermine the ICC’s credibility and embolden Putin. The organization argues that failing to arrest Putin could be interpreted as part of a broader strategy to weaken the ICC’s authority and enable Putin’s continued actions without accountability.
Sources By Agencies
