Ukraine has urged Mongolia to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his visit to the country next week, which will be his first trip to an International Criminal Court (ICC) member state since the court issued a warrant for his arrest.
The court has alleged that Mr. Putin is responsible for war crimes, specifically failing to prevent the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia since the conflict began. An ICC spokesperson informed the BBC that Mongolian officials “have the obligation” to adhere to ICC regulations, though this does not necessarily mean an arrest must occur.
The Kremlin expressed that it had “no worries” about the visit, scheduled for next Tuesday. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned to reporters in Moscow that they have “an excellent rapport with our partners from Mongolia” and that “all aspects of the president’s visit have been carefully prepared.”
Putin to visit Mongolia on September 3
Putin’s visit to Mongolia is set for September 3, as confirmed by the Kremlin. Mongolia’s foreign ministry announced the visit on its website, noting that Putin will meet with the country’s prime minister and the speaker of the parliament.
This will be Putin’s first trip to an ICC member country since the court issued the arrest warrant last year in relation to the forced transfer of children to Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. According to the Rome Statute, which governs the court, member countries are required to act on ICC arrest warrants if the individual is within their jurisdiction.
The Kremlin stated that Putin’s visit is in response to an invitation from Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh. During the visit, Putin is expected to participate in the 85th anniversary celebrations of the joint victory of Soviet and Mongolian forces over the Japanese at the Khalkhin Gol River.
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Will Mongolia oblige?
Dr. Fadi el-Abdallah, a spokesperson for the ICC, told the BBC that court States Parties, including Mongolia, “have the obligation to cooperate in accordance with Chapter IX of the Rome Statute,” which established the court. This agreement states that in some cases, states may be exempt from arrest obligations if it would “breach a treaty obligation” with another state or violate “diplomatic immunity of a person or property of a third state.”
Dr. el-Abdallah explained that if there is non-cooperation, ICC judges might make a finding to that effect and inform the Assembly of States Parties, which would then decide on any appropriate measures.
Last year, the court alleged that the Russian president was responsible for war crimes related to the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. It also issued a warrant for the arrest of Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, for similar crimes. The court stated that these crimes were committed in Ukraine starting from 24 February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Ukraine expresses hope
Moscow has previously denied these allegations and dismissed the warrants as “outrageous.” The ICC does not have 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 hand him over to prosecutors at The Hague, where the ICC is based.
Last year, Mr. Putin canceled a visit to a summit in South Africa following the ICC warrant for his arrest. As a signatory to the court, South Africa would be obligated to detain suspects on its territory, but President Ramaphosa indicated that Russia would view this as a declaration of war. President Ramaphosa noted that the decision for the Russian leader not to attend was “mutual.”
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