Putin in Mongolia, despite ICC arrest warrant

Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Mongolia on Tuesday for an official visit, his first to a member country of the Court International Criminal Court (ICC) since the issuance of an arrest warrant his encounter.

Arriving Monday evening in the capital Ulaanbaatar, the leader was greeted by the honor guard at the airport, without being arrested upon his descent, according to images broadcast by Russian television.

His trip appears to be an act of defiance towards the ICC, Ukraine at war, a number of Western countries and human rights organizations that have called for his arrest.

Mr. Putin has been the target of an arrest warrant since March 2023 for suspicion of illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. Mongolia, a member of the ICC, was therefore required to arrest him, according to the Rome Statute which founded the Court.

kyiv immediately reacted angrily: Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhiy called Mongolia’s failure to arrest Mr Putin a “major blow” to the ICC’s legitimacy and said Kiev would press for the country to be punished.

“Mongolia has allowed the indicted criminal to escape justice, thereby sharing responsibility for his war crimes. We will work with our partners to ensure that this has consequences for Ulaanbaatar,” he said.

– “No worries” –

The Hague-based court had reiterated last week that its member states have an “obligation” to arrest individuals targeted by a warrant stop.

But in practice, it cannot force them: when a member country does not fulfil its obligations towards the ICC, the latter can refer the matter to the Assembly of States Parties, which meets once a year but whose possible sanctions are essentially limited to a verbal reprimand.

In the past, other individuals subject to an arrest warrant from the Court, such as the former Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir, have travelled to countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute without being disturbed.

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Mongolia signed it in 2000, before ratifying it in 2002.

Demonstration against the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin, in Ulaanbaatar on September 2, 2024 © AFP – Byambasuren BYAMBA-OCHIR, Byambasuren BYAMBA-OCHIR

A democracy landlocked between two authoritarian countries, Russia and China, Mongolia has close cultural ties with Moscow as well as an important commercial relationship with Beijing.

The two powers covet its rich natural resources and want to increase their influence there, as does the United States.

Mongolia, formerly in the Soviet fold, did not condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and abstained from voting on this conflict at the United Nations united.

The Kremlin had assured last week that it had “no concerns” about a possible arrest of the Russian president.

– “War crime” –

Genghis Khan Square – also called Sukhbaatar – in the center of Ulaanbaatar, was decorated Monday with giant flags of Mongolia and Russia, in honor of Mr. Putin's visit, his first in five years.

But in the afternoon, some protesters expressed their discontent, some brandishing a banner reading “Get the war criminal Putin out.”

Another demonstration is planned for midday Tuesday at the Ulaanbaatar Monument to Victims of Political Repression, which honors those having suffered under the communist regime that ruled Mongolia for several decades.

The Mongolian government has not commented on the possible arrest of the Russian leader.

But, on social media, a spokesperson for Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh denied press reports that the ICC had sent a letter asking local authorities to execute the arrest warrant during his visit.

Moscow does not recognize the ICC, which is based in The Hague, and has always firmly rejected the charges brought by the court against the Russian president.

Mongolia “must arrest” Vladimir Putin, who is “fleeing from justice”, insisted on Monday the executive director of Amnesty International in Mongolia, Altantuya Batdorj.

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