Putin was greeted by a guard of honor when he landed in the capital the night before to begin a high-profile trip. He then met with the Mongolian president at Ulaanbaatar’s impressive Genghis Khan Square.
Ukraine accused Mongolia of co-responsibility for Putin’s war crimes when Mongolian authorities did not detain him at the airport.
Kyiv had urged Mongolia to comply with the arrest warrant, while the ICC said last week that all its member states have an obligation to detain a person wanted by the court.
In practice, little can be done if Ulaanbaatar fails to meet this requirement.
Sandwiched between authoritarian superpowers Russia and China, Mongolia has close cultural ties to Moscow, as well as a vital trade relationship with Beijing.
During the Soviet era, it was under the authority of Moscow. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, it has tried to maintain friendly relations with both the Kremlin and Beijing. The country has not condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and has abstained from voting on the conflict at the UN.
The Kremlin said last week that it was not concerned that Putin would be arrested during the visit. Russia does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC.
The Mongolian government has not commented on calls for Putin’s arrest. However, President Hurelsuch’s press representative on Sunday denied reports on social media that the ICC had sent a letter asking him to execute the warrant when he visits the country.
Amnesty International warned on Monday that Mongolia’s failure to arrest Putin could further undermine the legitimacy of the ICC while emboldening him.
“President Putin is a fugitive from justice,” said Amnesty International Mongolia Executive Director Altantuya Batdorzha. “Any trip to an ICC member state that does not result in an arrest will further President Putin’s current course of action and should be seen as part of a strategic effort to undermine the work of the ICC.”
2024-09-04 04:45:36