**Putin Defies International Criminal Court with Visit to Mongolia**
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Mongolia on Monday, marking his first visit to a country that is a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) since the court issued an arrest warrant against him. The Kremlin has shown no concern regarding the visit.
Putin disembarked from his plane in the evening at Ulaanbaatar airport, as shown in footage broadcast by Russian television.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Georgii Tikhiy described Mongolia’s failure to arrest Putin as a “major blow” to the legitimacy of the ICC, adding that Kyiv would push for punitive measures against the country. He posted on social media, “Mongolia has allowed a convicted criminal to evade justice, thereby sharing responsibility for the war crimes committed. We will work with our partners to ensure that there are consequences for Ulaanbaatar.”
The ICC and Ukraine had urged Mongolia to arrest Putin, who is suspected of involvement in the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. ICC spokesperson Fadi Abdallah told reporters that, like other countries that have signed the Rome Statute establishing the court, “Mongolia has a duty to cooperate” with it.
Several non-governmental organizations supported this call on Monday. Altantoya Batdorj, Executive Director of Amnesty International in Mongolia, emphasized that the country “must arrest” Vladimir Putin, whom she described as “fleeing justice.” Maria Elena Vignoli from Human Rights Watch viewed hosting the Russian leader as an “insult to many victims of Russian forces’ crimes” in Ukraine.
However, Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated last week that the Kremlin “has no concerns” regarding this issue. He added, “Of course, all aspects of the visit have been carefully prepared,” praising the “excellent dialogue with our friends in Mongolia.”
When a country fails to meet its obligations to the ICC, the court can refer the matter to the Assembly of States Parties, which meets annually, but any potential sanctions are typically limited to verbal reprimands.
Other individuals have previously visited Rome Statute signatory countries without concern, such as former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Mongolia signed the Rome Statute in 2000 and ratified it in 2002.
The Kremlin has consistently denied the ICC’s accusations against President Putin. However, Putin has avoided traveling to certain countries for about a year and a half; for example, he skipped the BRICS summit in South Africa in August 2023 and the G20 summit in India in September of the same year. He has visited China in May, North Korea in June, and Azerbaijan in mid-August, all of which are not ICC member states.
During his visit to Mongolia, Putin is expected to hold talks with his Mongolian counterpart Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh and participate in celebrations marking the 85th anniversary of the joint victory of Soviet and Mongolian forces over Japanese troops at the Battle of Khalkhin Gol. Putin’s last visit to Mongolia was in September 2019.
This landlocked country rich in natural resources, located in East Asia between Russia and China, spans an area three times the size of mainland France but has a population of only 3.4 million. The visit comes amid the United States’ stated desire to increase its influence in Mongolia, where Russian and Chinese rivals are also seeking to expand their influence.
—by/radwa sherif ✏️✏️📚