Mongolian authorities are legally bound to detain Vladimir Putin should he enter the country next week, according to the International Criminal Court (ICC). This anticipated visit on Tuesday marks the first occasion Putin would set foot in a nation that is a member of the ICC since an arrest warrant was issued against him in March 2023 for alleged war crimes. The ICC accuses Putin of not preventing the illegal transfer of children from Ukraine to Russia amid the ongoing conflict. Despite calls from Ukrainian officials for Mongolia to uphold the warrant upon Putin’s arrival, the Kremlin remains unconcerned about the potential implications of the visit.
“We maintain a strong relationship with Mongolia,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated in Moscow. “Every detail of President Putin’s visit has been meticulously arranged.”
Dr. Fadi el-Abdallah, speaking on behalf of the ICC to the BBC, emphasized that the court depends on its member states, including Mongolia, to enforce its rulings. He highlighted that Mongolia, as an ICC signatory, is bound by the obligation to cooperate, which extends to executing arrest warrants like the one issued against Mr. Putin in 2023 for alleged war crimes, specifically the illegal transfer of children from Ukraine to Russia. Additionally, a warrant has been issued for Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s children’s rights commissioner, for similar offenses, dating back to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Moscow has consistently rejected these accusations, calling the warrants “unjustifiable.”
Dr. Abdallah mentioned that should there be instances of non-compliance by ICC member states, the court’s judges would review these cases, potentially leading the Assembly of States Parties to take suitable actions. However, the ICC itself lacks the authority to make arrests and can only act within the territories of its members.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry expressed its expectation that Mongolia recognizes Vladimir Putin as a war criminal, urging Mongolian authorities to detain him and extradite him to The Hague for prosecution.
