- Despite an issued arrest warrant, Putin ventures into Mongolia without hinderance or disruption
Ukraine Slams Mongolia for Hosting Putin, Calls for Repercussions
According to Georgy Tychyj, Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Mongolia is in the wrong for giving Russian President Vladimir Putin refuge and thus aiding his evasion of international justice systems' scrutiny. This allegation was made in a statement released from Kyiv. In doing so, Mongolia supports Putin's alleged "war crimes".
Mongolia Chooses to Ignore Arrest Warrant against Putin
In response to Tychyj's statement, he declared, "We'll collaborate with our allies to make this outcome unpleasant for Ulan Bator." He further elaborated that Mongolia's disregard for the International Criminal Court's binding arrest warrant against Putin severely undermines the ICC and the international criminal justice system in general.
The International Criminal Court issued the warrant back in March of last year, in connection to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The court holds Putin responsible for the forced relocation of Ukrainian children to Russia. Putin is scheduled to meet with Mongolia's President Uchnaagiin Khürelsükh on Tuesday, at Khürelsükh's invitation, with the aim of reinforcing their partnership.
Kremlin Remains Unfazed
Mongolia, which is a member of the ICC, should have arrested Putin during his stay in Ulan Bator. But Russia doesn't appear to be concerned about Putin's safety due to the friendly relations between the two nations. As Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained, Putin's visit to a nation within the Hague Court, given his ongoing war against Ukraine, is not a threat.
Mongolia aims to maintain a harmonious relationship with both Russia's powerful neighbor China and the Western nations. Given Mongolia's dependence on Russia's resources, it's unlikely that the country would jeopardize its relations by detaining Putin. Putin's visit to Mongolia intends to demonstrate his international presence despite the ongoing conflict.
The President of the European Parliament expressed concern over Mongolia's decision to host Putin, stating that it undermines the international criminal justice system. In his address to the European Parliament, he urged members to take action against Mongolia for disregarding the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
