Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in Mongolia on Monday, marking his first visit to a country that is a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for him nearly 18 months ago. During his visit, Putin is scheduled to meet with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh on Tuesday.
The ICC has charged Putin with war crimes related to the abduction of children from Ukraine, a conflict that has been ongoing for over two and a half years. Despite calls from Ukraine for Mongolia to arrest and extradite Putin, the Kremlin has downplayed the significance of this visit. A Kremlin spokesperson stated last week that they are not concerned about the arrest warrant.
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Mongolia, a landlocked country between Russia and China, relies heavily on Russia for fuel and electricity and on China for investment in its mining sector. Although ICC member states are obligated to detain individuals with outstanding arrest warrants, the court itself lacks the means to enforce such actions.
The visit coincides with a ceremony to commemorate the 1939 victory of Soviet and Mongolian forces over the Japanese army in Manchuria, a region in northeastern China. This battle, part of a broader conflict, resulted in heavy casualties as the troops contested the border between Manchuria and Mongolia.
Despite international condemnation and isolation due to the Ukraine conflict Putin has continued his diplomatic engagements, visiting North Korea and Vietnam last month, and traveling to China twice over the past year. Additionally, he participated remotely in last year’s BRICS summit in Johannesburg after South Africa, an ICC member, opposed his physical attendance.
(Includes inputs from online sources)
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