Mongolian officials are “obligated” to arrest Vladimir Putin if he visits the country next week, according to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The visit, anticipated for Tuesday, would mark the first time the Russian leader has traveled to an ICC member nation since the court issued a warrant for his arrest in March 2023.
The ICC accuses Mr. Putin of being responsible for war crimes, alleging that he failed to prevent the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia since the start of the conflict.
Despite Ukraine’s demands that Mongolia arrest Mr. Putin upon his arrival, the Kremlin has stated that it has “no concerns” regarding the visit.
“We have an excellent rapport with our partners from Mongolia,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow.
“Of course, all aspects of the President’s visit have been carefully prepared.”
Dr. Fadi el-Abdallah, a spokesperson for the International Criminal Court (ICC), stated on Friday that the court depends on its member states, including Mongolia, to “execute its decisions.” He emphasized that Mongolia, like other ICC signatories, has an “obligation to cooperate,” which includes adhering to arrest warrants such as the one issued for Vladimir Putin in 2023.
The ICC accuses the Russian president of war crimes, specifically the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. A similar warrant has been issued for Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, for her involvement in the same crimes. These acts are alleged to have occurred in Ukraine from February 24, 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Moscow has consistently denied the allegations and labeled the warrants as “outrageous.”
Dr. Abdallah mentioned that ICC judges would review cases of “non-cooperation” by member states and report them to the Assembly of States Parties, which can then “take any measure it deems appropriate.”
The ICC itself lacks the power to arrest suspects and can only exercise jurisdiction within its member countries. Ukraine’s foreign ministry expressed hope that Mongolia is “aware of the fact that Vladimir Putin is a war criminal” and urged the country’s authorities to arrest the Russian leader and surrender him to prosecutors at The Hague, where the ICC is based.
Last year, Mr. Putin canceled a planned visit to a summit in South Africa following the issuance of the ICC warrant for his arrest.
As a signatory to the ICC, South Africa would be obligated to detain suspects on its territory, but President Ramaphosa warned that Russia would perceive such an action as a declaration of war. Mr. Ramaphosa described the decision for Mr. Putin to not attend as “mutual.”
The BBC has reached out to the Mongolian Embassy for comment.