Moscow, 31 August 2024, (TDI): Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit Mongolia next week, despite Mongolia’s membership in the International Criminal Court (ICC). This visit, planned for September 3, will be Putin’s first to an ICC member state since the court issued an arrest warrant for him in March 2023.
Putin’s First Visit to an ICC Member State Since Arrest Warrant
On September 3, President Putin will visit Mongolia, the Russian foreign ministry has confirmed. He will attend the 85th anniversary celebrations of the Soviet and Mongolian victory at Khalkhin Gol in 1939. Currently, Mongolia is a signatory of the International Criminal Court (ICC) which issued arrest warrants for Putin in March last year.
The ICC warrant accuses Putin of illegally deporting Ukrainian children to Russia and Russian-controlled areas. Despite this, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated there are “no worries” regarding the visit. In addition, he said that the Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh himself extended the invitation. He also emphasized that the two countries have friendly ties and have a “wonderful” dialogue going on.
International Reactions
Under the Rome Statute, ICC members are required to detain suspects with outstanding arrest warrants. However, the ICC lacks enforcement capabilities. On the other hand, Ukraine has also urged Mongolia to arrest Putin, calling him a “war criminal” and urging Mongolian authorities to honour the arrest warrant.
Since the warrant was issued, Putin has avoided visits to ICC member states. Last year, he skipped the BRICS summit in Johannesburg. Mongolia, which signed and ratified the Rome Statute in 2000 and 2002 respectively, will host Putin for talks with Khurelsukh and other officials. The visit will include events commemorating the 85th anniversary of the Soviet-Mongolian victory over Japanese forces at Khalkhin Gol.
