The Kremlin has stated that it is not concerned about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to Mongolia, despite an ICC warrant for his arrest. The warrant was issued last year by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes in Ukraine. Mongolia, as a member of the ICC, is obligated to detain suspects for whom the court has issued a warrant if they set foot on their soil. However, the court lacks an enforcement mechanism, as demonstrated by the case of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir not being arrested in 2015 when he visited South Africa.
Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, emphasized that Russia does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC. He mentioned during a conference call that the Kremlin has no concerns about the visit to Mongolia. The ICC has stated that Mongolia, as a state party to the Rome Statute, is required to cooperate with the court. Failure to do so may result in the judges informing the Assembly of States Parties, which could then take appropriate measures. The nature of these measures was not explicitly defined in the statement.
Putin’s visit to Mongolia, scheduled for next Tuesday, is to participate in ceremonial events marking the 85th anniversary of the joint victory of the Soviet and Mongolian armed forces over Japanese militarists. The ICC has accused Putin of involvement in abducting children from Ukraine, where Russia has been engaged in a conflict for the past few years. It was the first time the court had issued a warrant against a leader of a UN Security Council permanent member. Putin’s children’s rights envoy, Maria Lvova-Belova, as well as former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff General Valery Gerasimov have also been indicted by the court.
Russia has rejected the warrants, as they are not members of the ICC and do not acknowledge its jurisdiction. Since the issuance of the arrest warrant, Putin has avoided traveling to ICC member states. Notably, he did not attend a BRICS summit in South Africa last year after lobbying from the South African government to prevent a potential diplomatic fallout. However, the Kremlin has faced tensions with Armenia over its decision to join the ICC. Armenian officials reassured Russia that Putin would not be apprehended if he visited the country, indicating the complexities of international relations in the context of ICC warrants.
