Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Mongolia—a member country of the International Criminal Court—on Tuesday amid calls for his arrest on an ICC warrant. That warrant, issued 18 months ago, accused Putin of war crimes related to the Ukraine conflict. Despite Ukraine and the EU pressing Mongolia to arrest him, the Mongolian government has not acted on the warrant. The Kremlin stated it was unconcerned about a potential arrest.
Mongolia faces a dilemma due to its historical ties and economic dependence on Russia. While now a democracy with alliances including the US and Japan, Mongolia relies heavily on Russian fuel and electricity. The ICC warrant, tied to the abductions of Ukrainian children, requires member states to arrest suspects, but Mongolia values its relationship with Russia, which complicates enforcement.
Putin was welcomed with ceremonial honors relating to Mongolia's historical figure, Genghis Khan. Besides the grand welcome, small protests occurred, but demonstrators were swiftly removed by police. During the visit, agreements were signed for energy and infrastructure projects, and Putin invited Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa to a BRICS summit in October, which Khurelsukh accepted.
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Amid these proceedings, the EU voiced concerns about Mongolia's inaction, reaffirming that member states have obligations under the Rome Statute. Meanwhile, Russian officials like Dmitry Medvedev have dismissed the warrant as "illegal." (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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